Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup

The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup is the final race scheduled on the third day of racing at the Cheltenham Festival. It is a National Hunt steeplechase that is open to amateur riders. The only exception to this was in 2021 during the covid pandemic when amateur riders were not allowed to participate in the festival so professional riders filled the race.

Kim Muir Challenge Cup Overview

The Kim Muir Handicap Chase is a race for amateur riders run on day three of the Festival usually as the final race on the card of seven races. It is run over 3 miles and 2 furlongs on the new course with prize money of around £37,000. There are twenty-one fences to jump during the race.

Kim Muir Challenge Cup Betting Trends and Statistics

• Novices have a good record in the race with six of the past seven winners all holding novice status.
• The market is usually a good guide with 10 of the last 16 winners returning a SP in single figures.
• Gordon Elliot is a trainer to follow in the contest with two victories in the last 10 years (three if you count Mount Ida in 2021 who was trained out of his stables whilst he was serving a suspension).
• Another handicap that leading owner J P McManus appears to target having won the race four times between 2012 and 2025 and any horse he owns needs close scrutiny.
• 23 of the last 26 winners have all been aged 9 years or younger with 11 of the past 13 winners aged seven or eight.
• Despite being one of the best amateur riders around Patrick Mullins has yet to ride the winner of the race restricted to amateur riders.

Kim Muir Challenge Cup History

The race was first run in 1946 as the Kim Muir Amateur Riders’ Steeplechase, named in memory of Kim Muir, a cavalry officer who lost his life during World War II.

The name of Fulke Walwyn was added to the title in 1991 in honour of the successful trainer who won 40 races at the Festival during his training career.

Kim Muir Challenge Cup Winners