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National Hunt Handicap Chase
Get the latest National Hunt Chase Cup betting odds and tips for The Cheltenham Festival race from Punters Lounge.
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The National Hunt Handicap Chase is the last race on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. The race was registered as the National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Novices’ Chase but as from 2025 will be run as a handicap race and be open to professional riders. It is the race that has been run the most times at the Festival and attracts novice chasers.
National Hunt Chase Cup Racecard
National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase (GBB Race)
Backmersackme caught the eye when runner-up here in October and came good when landing a valuable prize at the Dublin Racing Festival. This appears to have been the long-term plan, although the extra distance isn't guaranteed to suit. Newton Tornado booked his place with an impressive victory at Doncaster in January and is capable of further progression after a 6lb rise. Wade Out sports first-time cheekpieces, which will need to assist Sean Bowen, but he is respected up in trip, while Holloway Queen would be a massive player if replicating her impressive Newbury success. Paul Nolan is no stranger to lining one up for this meeting and ICEBERG THEORY makes plenty of appeal. The seven-year-old won a handicap in fine style at Cork in November and shapes as though a staying test will bring out the very best in him.
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National Hunt Handicap Chase Overview
The National Hunt Steeple Chase handicap Challenge is a Grade Two chase for amateur riders open to horses aged five years or older. It is run over 3 miles, 5 furlongs and 201 yards of the old course where there will be twenty-three fences to be jumped. The race is a handicap for novice chasers only and is run as the last race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival every year.
National Hunt Handicap Chase Betting Trends and Statistics
- Willie Mullins has the best recent record having won the contest 4 times in the last 13 years whilst fellow Irishman Gordon Elliot also has a good record winning it four times between 2011 and 2020 and having several placed horses.
- Ireland overall has an excellent record in the race with 10 of the last 15 races going across the Irish Sea.
- 13 of the last 16 winners had all contested a graded novice chase earlier in their career.
- The most likely age to score is seven or eight years of age as 26 of the last 35 winners were in that age bracket.
- The market is usually a good guide to the likely winner with 12 of the last 15 victors returning at single-figure odds.
- Previous Cheltenham form is a big positive with 11 of the past 16 winners having run at the previous year’s Festival with 3 of the last 5 finishing in the first four a year earlier.
National Hunt Handicap Chase History
In its 165th year, the National Hunt Steeple Chase Challenge Cup has been run more times than any other event at the Cheltenham Festival. The only time that professional jockeys have raced in the contest before 2025 was back in 2021 due to COVID restrictions.
Some notable racehorses to have won the race in modern times include Topsham Bay (1990), Hot Weld (2006), Back In Focus (2013), Tiger Roll (2017) and Galvin (2021)
National Hunt Handicap Chase Winners
National Hunt Chase Cup FAQ
Who won the National Hunt Handicap Chase in 2025?
Haiti Couleurs won the National Hunt Handicap Chase in 2025. Ben Jones was the winning jockey with Rebecca Curtis as the victorious trainer at odds of 7/2..
What is the prize money for the National Hunt Handicap Chase ?
The prize money for the winner in 2025 was £52,000.
When is the National Hunt Handicap Chase?
The National Hunt Handicap Chase is run as the final race of the day on the opening day of action at the Cheltenham Festival.
How many fences are in the National Hunt Handicap Chase?
There are 23 fences to be jumped in total.
How many horses race in the National Hunt Handicap Chase?
The 2025 edition of the National Hunt Handicap Chase Cup attracted a field of eighteen runners.
Which horses are eligible for the National Hunt Handicap Chase?
The race is open to horses aged five years or older.
