• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cheltenham Betting Offers

  • Home
  • Free Bets
  • Meetings
    • New Year’s Day Meeting
    • Festival Trials Day
    • Cheltenham Festival
    • April Meeting
    • Race Night
    • Showcase Meeting
    • November Meeting
    • International Meeting
  • News
  • Articles
    • Stats & Trends

Ultima Handicap Chase – Champion Day

2-50pmThe Cheltenham Festival is renowned throughout the world, largely because it is so relentless in terms of the quality of racing on offer. Some other race courses might look at something like the Gold Cup and think that that is enough to garner people’s interest, but the organisers of the Festival never sit on their laurels. Instead they put out brilliant race after brilliant race and, though the Festival Trophy Handicap Chase is the first Premier Handicap race of the meeting, it is no exception in terms of quality.

Originally known as the National Hunt Handicap Chase, the race’s name has included a sponsor ever since 1981 when the Ritz Club took on sponsorship duties. That lasted until 1996, with Astec Buzz Shop having a go for one year in 1997 before William Hill sponsored it between 1998 and 2010. In 2011 the race took on a personal meaning when the racehorse owner Andy Stewart and his family sponsored it in honour of the Spinal Research charity; it was the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase for one year only. Since 2015 Ultima Business Solutions have sponsored the race.

Race Facts

Course
Old Course
Grade
Premier H'cap
Fences
20
Distance (m)
3m 1f (5030m)
Winner / Purse
£70,338 / £122,963

This left-handed race is run over three miles and one furlong on Cheltenham’s Old Course. It is for horses aged five and over and they have to jump twenty fences before they get to the home stretch. Because this is a handicap race there are no real specifications on a horses weight. Instead the handicapper adds different weights to the horses to ensure that it is run on as level a playing field as possible.

In 2017 the winner of the race, Un Temps Pour Tout won it for the second year in a row with jockey Tom Scudamore, who followed in his father’s footsteps when he won it for the first time in 2008, with Peter Scudamore winning it back in 1986. David Pipe was the winning trainer for all three of Tom Scudamore’s victories.  In 2020 trainer David Brigewater won with The Conditional, he won the race as a jockey in 1997.

Only 13% of races since 2000 have been won by the favourite, which shows this is a wide open race.

Records For Most Wins

Record Type No of Wins Record Holder
Horse 2 Multiple (4)
Trainer 4 Fred Rimell & Fulke Walwyn
Jockey 3 Robert Thornton & Tom Scudamore

Race Trends: Winners Since 2000

Average Odds
13.57
Average Age
8.17
Percent Mares
0%
Percent Favourite
13%

Race Trivia

festival trophy handicap chase race board

Records for the race only go back as far as 1946, so it’s impossible to say that information on its most successful participants is definitive. Even so, the Handicap Chase is one that trainers love to win more than once. Bob Turnell, David Pipe, Jonjo O’Neill and Tom Dreaper have all won it three times. Interestingly, three victories isn’t enough to earn the right to be called the race’s most successful trainer, as both Fulke Walwyn and Fred Rimell have won it four times.

Eleven different jockeys have won the Handicap Chase on two occasions. Names that have achieved that include Richard Dunwoody, Pat Taaffe and Barry Geraghty but, once again, that’s not enough to claim to be the race’s best jockey. For a time that honour belonged solely to Robert Thornton, whose wins in 2004, 2005 and 2011 were enough to put him ahead of his rivals. When Tom Scudamore came home for the second consecutive year on the back of Un Temps Pour Tout, however, that was all change. Instead to the two jockeys share the honour with three wins.

bookies plying their trade at cheltenham racecourse

If you’re the sort of punter that likes to know about where horses may go in the future then this is something you’ll want to bear in mind: a number of winners of this race have gone on to win the Grand National in the future. Sometimes they’ve even won it in the same year as Aintree’s most famous race, though often they do so in subsequent years. Winners of both include Team Spirit, Rough Quest and Royal Tan. Three horses have won this race twice but, at the time of writing, none of Sentina, Scot Lane or Un Temps Pour Tout have then gone on to win the National.

Well known Grand National runner Vintage Clouds won the race in 2021 at the fifth time of asking.  Unfortunately there were no crowds that year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, otherwise that would have produced a hell of a roar from the stands.  In 2023 Corach Rambler became the fourth horse to win the race twice, trained by Lucinda Russell and ridden by Derek Fox.

CBO Rating | 6/10

final furlong horses running in at cheltenham 1

For any snobby racegoers the Festival Trophy Handicap Chase might feel like a moment to take a breath after the excitement of the first two race’s of the Festival. It’s true that this is the only Premier Handicap race of the day and in many ways it runs the risk of being overshadowed by the Champion Hurdle that comes up straight after it. Yet it’s the first handicap race of the week and as such offers an opportunity for lesser-known horses to fancy their chances.

If you’re wondering what to look for betting-wise when it comes to the Handicap Chase then don’t overthink it. Between 2013 and 2016 all of the race’s winners went off as double-figured options with the bookies. Even when Un Temps Pour Tout picked up its second win in as many years in 2017 it did so with a starting price of 9/1, and the Nicky Henderson trained Beware the Bear won in 2019 at 10/1, so don’t think that long odds means there’s no point in having a flutter if you fancy your horse’s chances.  Vintage Clouds won at 28/1 in 2021 and Corach Rambler at 10/1 in 2022 and 6/1 in 2023.

Conclusion

If the Gold Cup is the race that the rest of the Festival feels like it’s building towards then the Champion Hurdle is the equivalent for Day One. That is why the Festival’s organisers have put a Premier Handicap (formerly Grade 3) race directly before it, so as to give punters a chance to get themselves ready for the big one. Regardless of that the handicap nature of the race means that you’re likely to get the chance to see something special from an often unlikely quarter.

Primary Sidebar

Cheltenham Free Bets

Races on This Day

  • 13:30
    Supreme Novices' Hurdle
  • 14:10
    Arkle Challenge Trophy
  • 14:50
    Ultima Handicap Chase
  • 15:30
    The Champion Hurdle
  • 16:10
    Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle
  • 16:50
    Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
  • 17:30
    National Hunt Chase

Meetings at Cheltenham

  • Cheltenham Festival
    • Champion Day
    • Ladies Day
    • St Patrick’s Thursday
    • Gold Cup Day
  • Festival Trials Day
  • New Year’s Day
  • November Meeting
    • Countryside Day
    • Gold Cup Day
    • November Meeting Sunday
  • Race Night
  • Showcase Meeting
    • The Showcase Friday
    • The Showcase Saturday
  • The April Meeting
    • April Meeting Day One
    • April Meeting Day Two
  • The International Meeting
    • International Friday
    • International Saturday

Race Types

  • Amateur Races
  • Championship Races
  • Conditions Races
  • Cross Country Races
  • Cup Races
  • Fillies' Races
  • Grade 1 Races
  • Grade 2 Races
  • Grade 3 Races
  • Handicap Races
  • Hurdle Races
  • Juvenile Races
  • Listed Races
  • Maiden Races
  • Mares' Races
  • Novices' Races
  • Premier Handicap Races
  • Standard Open Flat Races
  • Steeplechase Races
  • Trial Races
  • Trophy Races
  • Discontinued Races

Latest News

  • 2023 Cheltenham Festival Attendance Significantly Down On 2022
  • Why Is Horse Racing More at Risk from the Gambling Review?
  • Cheltenham Festival 2023 Review: Constitution Hill Is A Superstar, Mullins & The Irish At It Again
  • Soft Ground Expected For Cheltenham Following Snow
  • Will Willie Mullins Train More Winners Than Britain At The 2023 Cheltenham Festival?

Articles

  • Why Was The 2001 Cheltenham Festival Cancelled?
  • What Is The National Stud?
  • What Is A NAP?
  • Did The Romans Create Our Love Of Racing & Gambling?
  • The Biggest Bets Placed On Horse Racing
  • What Is The Maximum Field Size?
  • Careers In Racing
  • What Happens To A Horse When It Falls
  • Do Bookies Leave Racecourses Early To Avoid Paying Out?
  • Are There Any Truly Wild Horses?
  • Who Are The BHA?
  • Origins Of Steeplechasing
  • Is Horse Racing Too Traditional? Why Is It So Confusing?
  • Robot Horse Racing
  • Are There More Fatalities On Hard Ground In Horse Racing?
  • Types Of Jump Racing Fences
  • Biggest Comebacks In Horse Racing
  • Difference Between A Hurdle & A Fence In Jump Racing
  • What Are Hurdles & Fences Made From?
  • Why Are Race Distances Measured In Miles, Furlongs & Yards
  • Stag And Hen Do's At Cheltenham
  • Each-Way vs Place Betting: Which Is Better?
  • What Are Final Declarations
  • Does Illegal Horse Racing Still Happen?
  • What Is Pony Racing? How Is It Different To Horse Racing?
  • Ladies At The Races
  • What Do Nose, Head, Neck and Length Mean?
  • What Is A Furlong?
  • When Is A Race Declared Void?
  • False Starts In Horse Racing
  • What Are Official Ratings in Horse Racing?
  • Can You Run A Race With Only One Horse?
  • What Is Point To Point Racing
  • Best Day Of The Cheltenham Festival
  • How Much Does It Cost To Buy and Train a Racehorse?
  • Cheltenham Festival Ticket Types
  • How Much Does Racing Make From The Betting Levy?
  • Are There Less Horse Deaths In Racing Today?
  • Origins Of Jockey Silks In Horse Racing & Rules
  • Can A Jockey Remount A Horse?
  • What Happens If No Horse Wins A Race?
  • Why Do Horses Jump Fences?
  • How High and Far Can A Horse Jump?
  • Use Of The Whip In Horse Racing
  • What Are The Different Types Of Racehorses?
  • Who Sponsors Cheltenham Races
  • How Do Racehorse Owner Syndicates Work?
  • How Much Do Racehorses Weigh?
  • How Does Travelling Affect Racehorse Performance?
  • What PPE Do Jockeys Wear And Why?
  • Can Racehorses Overheat?
  • Benefits Of Owning Race Horses
  • What Is The Top Speed Of A Racehorse?
  • Do Racehorses Have Special Diets & Nutrition?
  • How Are Racehorses Transported & What Are The Rules
  • What Happened To All-Weather Jumps Racing?
  • What Was Tic Tac? The Sign Language For On-Course Bookmakers
  • The Road To Cheltenham
  • Retraining of Racehorses
  • What Happens To Retired Racehorses?
  • Horse Racing Mix-Ups
  • Youngest Jockeys In Horse Racing History
  • What Are Blinkers & Why Do Race Horses Wear Them?
  • How Long Do You Have To Claim A Winning Bet At A Racecourse?
  • Female Jockey Pioneers
  • Oldest Jockeys In Horse Racing History
  • Record Jockey Wins For Cheltenham Festival Races
  • Record Trainer Wins For Cheltenham Festival Races
  • Cheltenham Festival Races Record Horse Wins
  • Biggest Prize Money Races At The Cheltenham Festival
  • The Life Of A Racing Jockey
  • Races With The Most Fences At The Cheltenham Festival
  • How Often Do Mares' Win At The Cheltenham Festival
  • Average Winner Age Cheltenham Festival Races
  • Longest Races At The Cheltenham Festival
  • Cheltenham Festival's Newest Races
  • How Often Does the Favourite Win at the Cheltenham Festival?
  • Average Winner Odds Cheltenham Festival Races
  • Cheltenham Festival Stats & Trends
  • Veganism & Horse Racing
  • Horse Doping In Horse Racing
  • Most Feared Fences In Horse Racing
  • Jockey Injuries
  • How To Become A Jockey
  • Horse Injuries
  • What Is Going In Horse Racing
  • Richest Races In Horse Racing
  • What Is The Starting Price In Racing
  • When Is The Best Time To Bet Ante-Post
  • Impact Of Wetter Winters On UK Jump Racing
  • How Long Do Racehorses Live For?
  • How Much Do Jockeys Weigh?
  • Rules For Naming Race Horses
  • What Is A Dead Heat In Horse Racing?
  • Who Would Win A Race Between A Horse And A Dog?
  • What Makes A Good Jump Stayer?
  • What Is A Stewards Enquiry?
  • Why Are Horses Disqualified and Who Decides?
  • Courses At Cheltenham: Old, New and Cross Country
  • How Are Jump Horses Trained Differently To Flat Horses?
  • Longest Odds Winners In Horse Racing History
  • How Much Money Is Bet At Cheltenham?
  • How Much Is Cheltenham Worth To The Economy?
  • Top 5 Cheltenham Festival Owners
  • Accessibility At Cheltenham The Cheltenham Festival
  • Cheltenham Festival's Oldest Race Still Running
  • Biggest Female Trainers
  • Celebrity Race Horse Owners
  • Can Jockeys, Trainers & Owners Bet?
  • British vs Irish Trainers And Stables At Cheltenham
  • Things To Do & Places To Visit In Cheltenham
  • The Royal Family And The Cheltenham Festival
  • How Much Does It Cost To Be An On-Course Bookmaker?
  • How Much Money Do Race Horse Owners Make?
  • How Much Money Do Trainers Make?
  • Cheltenham Race Types
  • Cheltenham Hotels & Cheltenham Festival Accommodation
  • Top 5 Cheltenham Festival Trainers
  • Top 5 Cheltenham Festival Jockeys
  • Top 10 Cheltenham Festival Horses
  • How Much Money Do Jockeys Make?
  • Richest Jockeys In Horse Racing History
  • Getting To Cheltenham Racecourse
  • Cheltenham Festival vs Grand National, Which Is Better?
  • Cheltenham Racecourse History
  • Why Is The Cheltenham Festival So Big?
  • Cheltenham Festival History
  • The Prestbury Cup
  • Cheltenham Festival Quiz
  • Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer
  • Cheltenham Festival Top Jockey
  • Cheltenham Racecourse During The War
  • Ante-Post Betting - Risk vs Reward
  • Jump Racing Distances
  • How to Read a Race Card
  • How To Bet On Horse Racing
  • Disqualification, Non-Runners and Rule 4
  • Age, Sex and Weight in Horse Racing
  • History And About National Hunt Racing
  • A-Z Glossary Of Horse Racing Terms
  • Horse Racing News, Statistics & Blogs
  • Live Streaming of Horse Racing
  • Live Betting In Play On Horse Racing
  • Cash Out And Partial Cash Out On Horse Racing
  • Grades and Classes In National Hunt Jump Racing

Offers

  • Cheltenham Free Bets
  • Irish Free Bets
  • Acca Offers For Horse Racing
  • Extra Places Each-Way & Enhanced Each Way Terms Cheltenham Festival 2024
  • Horse Racing Loyalty Free Bet Clubs
  • Horse Racing Money Back
  • Best Odds Guaranteed For The Cheltenham Festival
  • Tote and Totepool Betting
  • Lucky Bets and Bonuses For Horse Racing
  • Non-Runner No Bet
  • Free Bets And Bonuses For Winners
  • Best Odds Guaranteed For Horse Racing
  • Faller & Fail To Finish Insurance For Horse Racing

Copyright © 2023 CheltenhamBettingOffers.com | 18+ Gamble Aware | Privacy & Cookie Policy