New Course
The course and distance are the same, and whilst the class of runner and prize money may be a notch or two below that of the Gold Cup, for the amateur riders taking part, the Cheltenham Festival Hunter Chase means just as much.
Previously know as the Foxhunter Chase, this is a race for amateur jockeys and is often referred to as the Amateur Gold Cup, though in 2021 professional riders competed in their place. Bryony Frost won this race prior to turning professional when riding Pacha Du Polder to victory for Paul Nicholls in 2017.
The highlight of the season for these jockeys is always a big field affair which makes for a cracking spectacle and betting heat.
Festival Hunters' Chase Course Map (New Course)
The 3m 2½f plots exactly the same course as the Gold Cup run before it. Starting at the end of the New Course straight, two fences are jumped before two complete circuits are navigated.
Festival Hunters' Chase Past Winners
| Year | Winner | SP | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sine Nomine | 8/1 | Fiona Needham | John Dawson |
| 2023 | Premier Magic | 66/1 | Bradley Gibbs | Bradley Gibbs |
| 2022 | Billaway | 13/8 | Willie Mullins | Patrick Mullins |
| 2021 | Porlock Bay | 16/1 | Will Biddick | Lorcan Williams |
| 2020 | It Came To Pass | 66/1 | Eugene O'Sullivan | Maxine O'Sullivan |
| 2019 | Hazel Hill | 7/2 | Philip Rowley | Mr Alex Edwards |
| 2018 | Pacha Du Polder | 25/1 | Paul Nicholls | Miss Harriet Tucker |
| 2017 | Pacha Du Polder | 16/1 | Paul Nicholls | Bryony Frost |
| 2016 | On The Fringe | 13/8 | Enda Bolger | Nina Carberry |
| 2015 | On The Fringe | 6/1 | Enda Bolger | Nina Carberry |
| 2014 | Tammys Hill | 15/2 | Liam Lennon | Mr J J Smyth |
| 2013 | Salsify | 2/1 | Rodger Sweeney | Mr C J Sweeney |
| 2012 | Salsify | 7/1 | Rodger Sweeney | Mr C J Sweeney |
| 2011 | Zemsky | 33/1 | Ian Ferguson | Derek O'Connor |
| 2010 | Baby Run | 9/2 | Nigel Twiston-Davies | Sam Twiston-Davies |
| 2009 | Cappa Bleu | 11/2 | Sheila Crow | Richard Burton |
| 2008 | Amicelli | 33/1 | Cherry Coward | Oliver Greenall |
| 2007 | Drombeag | 20/1 | Jonjo O'Neill | J. T. McNamara |
| 2006 | Whyso Mayo | 20/1 | Raymond Hurley | Damien Murphy |
| 2005 | Sleeping Night | 7/2 | Paul Nicholls | Colman Sweeney |
About the Foxhunter Chase: The Amateurs Tackle the Gold Cup Fences
The Cheltenham Festival is exactly as one might imagine – a true festival of horse racing. All aspects of National Hunt racing are celebrated including the tradition of allowing amateur jockeys to race against each other.
That is the case with the Festival Hunter’ Chase which is a massive opportunity for amateur riders to grab the headlines at Prestbury Park.
After the Lord Mayor’s Show
Amateur jockeys always view the chance to ride in the Festival Hunters’ Chase as a real honour as it is the race that that immediately follows the Cheltenham Gold Cup, for many the biggest race of the entire season. Moreover, the Festival Hunters’ Chase is run over the exact same distance of three miles and two and a half furlongs and over the same 22 fences.
The chance to see another race over the world famous New Course at Cheltenham ending with that daunting climb up the hill guarantees the crowds hang around to watch the Festival Hunters’ Chase. It also demands a lot from the runners and riders.
Before we get into what it takes physically to win the race it’s worth pointing out the mental toll that running at the Cheltenham Festival exacts on the horses.
They are the real stars of the show and get a lot of attention as soon as they arrive at Prestbury Park. It is understandable that some of them will react badly to the crowds and the noise and fail to give their best, especially if they have an inexperienced jockey on board. Punters would be advised to have a look at the character of the competitors before parting with any of their hard earned.
A Race for Specialists
The championship races at Cheltenham basically come down to class. There are specific characteristics needed to win them but each is designed to decide who is the best horse in a particular division. It’s not quite as straightforward with the Festival Hunters’ Chase.
The trainers who send their horses to the Festival Hunters’ Chase have normally come to the conclusion that they have done all they can in handicaps after either succeeding or failing to make an impact amongst graded company. Additionally, many Irish horses who developed a formidable point-to-point record at home have gone on to do well.
The British Horseracing Authority became concerned that the reputation of hunter chases in general and the Festival Hunters’ Chase was being diminished as big name trainers had begun dropping in horses capable of competing at a higher level into the field. So, they introduced changes in 2018 mandating that horses who contest hunter chases for licensed trainers were subsequently only able to run in hunter chases for the remainder of the season.
Those changes were broadly welcomed, especially by the many people in horse racing who hold hunter chasing close to their heart. It hasn’t stopped the biggest trainers from entering horses into the Festival Hunters’ Chase but should maintain the competitiveness of a race which has a reputation for providing thrilling finishes.
A list of the Hunter Chases run in the UK in the lead up to the latest Cheltenham Festival can be found here.
Capitalise on the Recent Trend of Multiple Winners
The qualifying criteria for the Festival Hunters’ Chase demands that horses must have finished in the top two twice in hunter chases or have won at least two point-to-points. This only serves to hammer home the idea that this is a race for specialist hunter chasers as does the recent trend of multiple winners.
Since its introduction to Cheltenham in 1904 a handful of horses have won the Festival Hunters’ Chase twice. So far, no horse has won it three times but that could change as multiple winners are becoming increasingly common. Below is a table showing the two time winners, including three such horses between the 2012 and 2018 editions.
Double Foxhunter Chase Winners: 1946 – 2024
| Horse | Trainer | Jockey | First Win | Second Win |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacha du Polder | Paul Nicholls | B Frost / H Tucker | 2017 | 2018 |
| On The Fringe | Enda Bolger | Nina Carberry | 2015 | 2016 |
| Salsify | Roger Sweeney | Colman Sweeney | 2012 | 2013 |
| Earthmover | R Barber / P Nicholls | J Tizzard / R Goschen | 1998 | 2004 |
| Fantus | Richard Barber | P Curling / T Mitchell | 1995 | 1997 |
| Double Silk | Reg Wilkins | Ron Treloggen | 1993 | 1994 |
| College Master | Laurie Morgan | Laurie Morgan | 1961 | 1962 |
| Whinstone Hill | Bobby Brewis | Bobby Brewis | 1958 | 1960 |
| The Callant | Stewart Wight | John Scott-Aiton | 1956 | 1957 |
UK Hunter Chases Leading Up to the Festival
The Hunter Chase season begins in January, with a host of races in the lead-up to the Festival. Below is a full list of UK Hunter Chases and their winners between January and the start of the Cheltenham Festival in 2024.
UK Hunter Chases: January 8th – March 11th 2024
| Course | Date | Hunters’ Chase | Winner | Class | Prize Fund |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taunton | 8/1/24 | Geoffrey Bosley | Regatta De Blanc (6/5) | Class 5 | £6,599 |
| Kelso | 14/1/24 | Racing TV | Super Citizen (4/6) | Class 4 | £6,600 |
| Ludlow | 18/1/24 | Jumping For Fun | Abandoned | Class 5 | £6,000 |
| Warwick | 22/1/24 | Willoughby De Broke | D’Jango (9/1) | Class 6 | £4,000 |
| Hereford | 29/1/24 | PlanetSportBet | Time Leader (9/4) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Wincanton | 1/2/24 | Stewart Tory Memorial | Quintin’s Man (12/1) | Class 5 | £6,500 |
| Wetherby | 3/2/24 | Vickers | Sine Nomine (6/1) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Ludlow | 7/2/24 | Chase Meredith Memorial | Captain Tommy (20/1) | Class 4 | £6,600 |
| Bangor | 9/2/24 | John Hewitt Memorial | Abandoned | Class 4 | £7,500 |
| Leicester | 15/2/24 | Dick Saunders (Novices’) | Abandoned | Class 5 | £6,000 |
| Fakenham | 16/2/24 | William Bulwer Long Mem’ | Secret Investor (5/6) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Ffos Las | 16/2/24 | Vickers | Abandoned | Class 4 | £7,000 |
| Haydock | 17/2/24 | Walrus | Spyglass Hill (9/1) | Class 3 | £15,000 |
| Taunton | 20/2/24 | Jumping For Fun | Macklin (7/2) | Class 5 | £6,599 |
| Leicester | 27/2/24 | Jumping For Fun | Bennys King (8/1) | Class 3 | £12,000 |
| Leicester | 27/2/24 | Quorn Maiden | Iskandar Pecos (2/5) | Class 5 | £6,000 |
| Wincanton | 28/2/24 | Dick & Sue Woodhouse Mem’ | Espoir De Guye (10/1) | Class 5 | £6,500 |
| Southwell | 4/3/24 | Jumping For Fun | Haven’t Time (10/1) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Catterick | 6/3/24 | Jumping For Fun | Gaboriot (3/1) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Leicester | 8/3/24 | The Yeomanry | Cap Du Mathan (11/10) | Class 5 | £6,500 |
| Stratford | 11/3/24 | Oncourse Bookmakers | Forest Chimes (9/2) | Class 5 | £4,600 |
UK Hunter Chases Following the Last Festival
The Hunter Chase season continues until the finale evening meeting at Stratford, usually in late May or early June. The races and winners from those Hunter Chases between the start of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival and the Stratford race night in 2024 are shown below.
UK Hunter Chases: 15th March 2024 – 31st May 2024
| Course | Date | Hunters’ Chase | Winner | Class | Prize Fund |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fakenham | 15/3/24 | Queen’s Cup | Rebel Dawn Rising (3/1) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Exeter | 19/3/24 | Totnes And Bridgetown | Yippee Ki Yay (9/2) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Ludlow | 21/3/24 | Ludlow Gold Cup | Captain Tommy (6/1) | Class 4 | £6,600 |
| Newbury | 22/3/24 | BetVictor | Secret Investor (3/1) | Class 5 | £6,500 |
| Exeter | 25/3/24 | Totnes And Bridgetown | Drop Flight (8/1) | Class 5 | £6,000 |
| Ludlow | 2/4/24 | Weatherbys | Iskandar Pecos (4/7) | Class 4 | £6,600 |
| Aintree | 11/4/24 | Randox Foxhunters’ | Its On The Line (3/1) | Class 2 | £50,000 |
| Kelso | 15/4/24 | Buccleuch Cup | Soldier Of Rock (8/11) | Class 4 | £7,000 |
| Exeter | 19/4/24 | Series Final | Hearts Corner (10/11) | Class 5 | £6,000 |
| Stratford | 21/4/24 | Racing UK | Deise Aba (6/4) | Class 5 | £4,600 |
| Hexham | 22/4/24 | Jumping For Fun | Jerrysback (11/10) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Kempton | 22/4/24 | Sri Lanka | Yccs Portocervo (9/2) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Ludlow | 24/4/24 | Magnus-Allcroft Memorial | Go On Chez (13/8) | Class 4 | £6,600 |
| Chepstow | 26/4/24 | Dunraven Bowl | Castle Daragh (33/1) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Cheltenham | 3/5/24 | Open | A Jet Of Our Own (9/2) | Class 5 | £5,500 |
| Cheltenham | 3/5/24 | Point-To-Point | Iskandar Pecos (3/1) | Class 4 | £10,000 |
| Cheltenham | 3/5/24 | Junior Jumpers Open | What A Glance (11/1) | Class 4 | £7,000 |
| Cheltenham | 3/5/24 | Mixed Open | Fairly Famous (10/3) | Class 4 | £10,000 |
| Cheltenham | 3/5/24 | Mares’ Open | Regatta De Blanc (3/10) | Class 4 | £7,000 |
| Cheltenham | 3/5/24 | Molson Coors Open | Gaboriot (3/1) | Class 4 | £7,000 |
| Cheltenham | 3/5/24 | Royal Gloucs. Hussars | Rebel Dawn Rising (5/2) | Class 5 | £5,500 |
| Fakenham | 7/5/24 | Jumping For Fun | Trevada (11/10) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Kelso | 8/5/24 | Racing Together | Go On Chez (3/10) | Class 4 | £6,600 |
| Hexham | 11/5/24 | Heart Of All England | Dressedtoimpress (10/1) | Class 4 | £7,000 |
| Perth | 15/5/24 | Bruce Farms ‘Grassroots’ | Shanroe Street (2/1) | Class 5 | £5,000 |
| Newton Abbot | 20/5/24 | Totnes And Bridgetown | Young Buck (2/1) | Class 5 | £6,500 |
| Huntingdon | 21/5/24 | My Pension Expert Novices’ | Amenon (11/4) | Class 5 | £4,600 |
| Kelso | 26/5/24 | Series Final | Yippee Ki Yay (Evens) | Class 3 | £12,000 |
| Cartmel | 27/5/24 | Fraser Cup Maiden | Willewonga (9/4) | Class 5 | £7,200 |
| Cartmel | 29/5/24 | Burlington Rise Open | Gaboriot (Evens) | Class 5 | £6,200 |
| Newton Abbot | 29/5/24 | Totnes And Bridgetown | Yccs Portocervo (2/1) | Class 5 | £6,500 |
| Stratford | 31/5/24 | Point-To-Point Novices’ | Learntalot (9/1) | Class 4 | £8,500 |
| Stratford | 31/5/24 | Ladies Championship Final | Famous Clermont (7/4) | Class 3 | £12,000 |
| Stratford | 31/5/24 | Champion Novices’ | Forest Chimes (9/2) | Class 2 | £20,000 |
| Stratford | 31/5/24 | Foxhunters Champion | What A Glance (12/1) | Class 2 | £22,000 |
| Stratford | 31/5/24 | Peter Wright Handicap | Envious Editor (9/2) | Class 4 | £8,650 |
| Stratford | 31/5/24 | White Swan Hotel Open | Kaproyale (17/2) | Class 5 | £6,000 |