The Ryanair Chase is the second Grade 1 on the third day at the Cheltenham Festival and the contest has had an illustrious roll of honour in seasons gone by. Our team of experts will provide all the analysis and insight you need to stay on top of this year’s Ryanair Chase field, alongside our top tips for the race.
Andrew Mount’s Ryanair Chase Tips
Awaiting Tips…
Matty Sutcliffe’s Ryanair Chase Tips
Awaiting Tips…
Ryanair Chase Bookmaker Odds – Race 3, Thursday 12th March 2:50
The entries for the 2025 Ryanair chase are already out, and can be seen in the table below.
All About the Ryanair Chase in 2025
This year’s Ryanair Chase will only take shape nearer the spring. Entries are unknown at this stage and plenty could change the complexion of the race prior to the third day of the Festival in March.
Qualifications/Trends
The Grade 1 Ryanair Chase, accessible to horses aged five and above rated 130 or higher, extends a 7lb allowance to mares. Since its inception in 2005, nearly all victors have been seven years or older, barring Taranis, a six-year-old, clinched the title in 2007 under Paul Nicholls.
British-trained entrants dominated the race from its commencement until 2015. Nonetheless, the tide has turned significantly in favour of Irish-trained horses, with seven of the past nine renewals falling into their hands, although Protektorat secured a big victory for the home side in 2024.
A notable trend in this Grade 1 race is the importance of previous course experience. This is evident from recent winners such as Envoi Allen, Min, and Allaho, all of whom had participated in earlier festivals before securing their Ryanair Chase wins. This pattern is also seen in Vautour (2016), who won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at five, and Cue Card (2013) and Albertas Run (2010 & 2011), who had previous festival successes.
Moreover, 15 of the last 19 winners had previously achieved victory at Cheltenham, and 12 of the last 16 had clinched a Grade 1 Chase. Additionally, a significant age trend reveals that 9 of the last 12 winners were either 7 or 8 years old, highlighting the peak performance age for contenders in this race.
Winners of the Ryanair Chase have also frequently contested in the King George VI Chase at Kempton during the festive period. Notably, Cue Card and Vautour provided a thrilling climax to this Christmas Grade 1 event in 2016, with Colin Tizzard’s entry narrowly coming out on top. Frodon, the 2019 winner, also claimed the Kempton highlight the subsequent season under Paul Nicholls.
Punters have found the Ryanair Chase to be quite favourable in recent years, with five of the last eight favourites winning. Albertas Run, in 2010, remains the sole victor to have started at double-figure odds, illustrating the race’s predictability to some extent.
2026 Ryanair Chase Prize Money
The Willie Mullins-trained Fact To File won the 2025 renewal and won a first prize of
£211,012.00.
Ryanair Chase History
The Ryanair Chase was originally established in 2005 when it was decided that there would be a fourth day of the festival rather than three. The Championship event is run over an extended 2m4f and was created in order to have a feature race in between distances of the Queen Mother Champion Chase (2miles) and the Cheltenham Gold Cup (extended 3m2f).
Prior to 2005 there had been a contest called the Cathcart Challenge Cup but this was amended soon after as that event was only open to first and second-season chasers.
The Ryanair Chase was also originally a Grade 2 event until it was upgraded to Grade 1 status in 2008 which saw Our Vic land the prize for jockey Timmy Murphy and trainer David Pipe. Ryanair became the main sponsors of the event in 2006.
Only two runners have won back to back renewals of this contest – Albertas Run who landed the Grade 1 in 2010 and 2011 for trainer Jonjo O’Neil, and Willie Mullins’ Allaho, who won in 2021 and 2022. Albertas Run was a superb servant for connections and almost followed up in the 2012 renewal but finished runner-up to favourite Riverside Theatre. Allaho would’ve made a bold bid for the hat-trick in 2023 but was sadly ruled out.
Although this contest has been dominated by the Irish representatives in recent seasons, top British trainers have also had their fair share of success. Twelve time champion trainer Paul Nicholls has landed three Ryanair wins, whilst Nicky Henderson and David Pipe have enjoyed two winners each.
Winners since 2005
| Year | Horse | Jockey/Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Thisthatandtother | J:Ruby Walsh T:Paul Nicholls | 9/2 |
| 2006 | Fondmort | J:Mick Fitzgerald T:Nicky Henderson | 10/3J |
| 2007 | Taranis | J:Ruby Walsh T:Paul Nicholls | 9/2 |
| 2008 | Our Vic | J:Timmy Murphy T:David Pipe | 4/1 |
| 2009 | Imperial Commander | J:Paddy Brennan T:Nigel Twiston-Davies | 6/1 |
| 2010 | Albertas Run | J:Tony McCoy T:Jonjo O’Neill | 14/1 |
| 2011 | Albertas Run | J:Tony McCoy T:Jonjo O’Neill | 6/1 |
| 2012 | Riverside Theatre | J:Barry Geraghty T:Nicky Henderson | 7/2F |
| 2013 | Cue Card | J:Joe Tizzard T:Colin Tizzard | 7/2 |
| 2014 | Dynaste | J:Tom Scudamore T:David Pipe | 3/1F |
| 2015 | Uxizandre | J:Tony McCoy T:Alan King | 16/1 |
| 2016 | Vautour | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | EvsF |
| 2017 | Un De Sceaux | J:Ruby Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 7/4F |
| 2018 | Balko Des Flos | J:Davy Russell T:Henry De Bromhead | 8/1 |
| 2019 | Frodon | J:Bryony Frost T:Paul Nicholls | 9/2 |
| 2020 | Min | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 2/1 |
| 2021 | Allaho | J:Rachael Blackmore T:Willie Mullins | 3/1F |
| 2022 | Allaho | J:Paul Townend T:Willie Mullins | 4/7F |
| 2023 | Envoi Allen | J:Rachael Blackmore T:Henry De Bromhead | 13/2 |
| 2024 | Protektorat | J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton | 17/2 |
| 2025 | Fact To File | J:Mark Walsh T:Willie Mullins | 6/4F |
Cheltenham Festival Racing Schedule