The Ultima Handicap Chase is the third race on the opening day of Cheltenham and is the first big handicap of the Festival. Previously known as the Festival Trophy, this event always attracts a large field.
However, favourites have a poor record in the race, with just two winning favourites in the past 14 years, while Irish-trained horses have an even worse record, with just two winners in the past 53 years.
Jonjo O’Neill and David Pipe are the leading trainers in the Ultima, having both won the race three times and both could saddle runners in this season’s renewal.
The 2024 Ultima Handicap Chase field is outlined below. The winner was Chianti Classico for Kim Bailey.
Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)
-
Result5th6/1
-
Result3rd11/2
-
Result8th50/1
-
Result7th33/1
-
TrelawneJ: Harry CobdenT: Kim Bailey
-
TwigJ: Beau MorganT: Ben PaulingResult2nd20/1
-
Result1st7/1
-
Result4th16/1
-
Result6th10/1
Latest Ultima Handicap Chase Odds
The Ultima Handicap Chase will be one of the last races in which odds will become available as the handicap weights only come out two weeks before the off. The 2025 odds will be known in better clarity then.
Ultima Handicap Chase Odds and Entries 2025
We do not yet know which horses will be declared for the first handicap of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. When we do, we will update with the important entries and odds.
Betting on the Ultima Handicap Chase
The Cheltenham Ultima Handicap Chase has been won by some famous names including Grand National winners West Tip, Seagram and Rough Quest. The race’s links with the Grand National go back to Royal Tan (1952) Team Spirit (1963) and Seagram (1991), with Corach Rambler keeping up that tradition last year by winning both races in the same season.
Course form is key in the Ultima Handicap Chase with the last twelve winners all having raced at Cheltenham at least once previously. Seven of those had won at least once at the course. Eight-year-olds have the best recent record with six victories in the past twelve seasons including Corach Rambler in 2022. Lucinda Russell’s gelding could attempt to repeat last year’s last-gasp victory before running in the 2024 Grand National.
Coo Star Sivola (2018) is the only winning outright favourite in the last twelve seasons in a race which always attracts a large field. Five of the remaining winners were either second or third favourite. Bensalem (2011) and The Druids Nephew (2015) both started second favourite but there have been plenty of long-priced winners. The longest winning odds in recent years were Golden Chieftain (2013) and Vintage Clouds (2021) who both returned at 28-1.
Ultima Handicap Chase News
At this stage, the key news update will be whether we see two-time winner Corach Rambler in the line-up for the 2025 Ultima Handicap Chase. However, with no handicap entries yet, and the majority of focus on the Grade 1 races at the meeting, there is no significant news regarding this race.