Day one of the Cheltenham Festival isn’t just about the Grade 1 features like the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Champion Hurdle, but one of the betting highlights on Tuesday 11th March, 2025 will be the Ultima Handicap Chase, which is a hugely competitive contest and is the first handicap of the entire Cheltenham Festival. We take a look at the 49 horses that are entered for what is always a devilishly difficult betting heat for punters.
Alan King last won this race way back in 2011 with Bensalem, but the master of Barbury Castle could have a leading contender for the 2025 race in the shape of Masaccio, who was last seen finishing third in a decent event at Cheltenham on Trials Day in January. Second in the Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase at Newbury, the eight-year-old was then third in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park, so that Grade 1 form will certainly see him feature prominently here.
Lowry’s Bar missed his engagement at Ascot at the weekend, but the horse that finished second in the Grade 2 Hampton Novices’ Chase at Windsor could be another exciting novice that takes his chance here, while Hyland and Johnnywho are another brace of inexperienced chasers that could look to etch their names on the roll of honour for the Ultima.
Joe Tizzard’s The Changing Man finally got his first win over fences at the weekend and he benefited from the early fall of Jingko Blue to win the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot, while Sa Fureur has shown some decent form over the larger obstacles and could be one of the premier challengers from Ireland for this race. You have to go all the way back to 2006 since there was an Irish-trained winner when Dun Doire won for Tony Martin, so the home brigade are certainly the ones to watch for this race.
Shakem Up’arry and Crebilly fought out a tremendous finish in the Plate Handicap Chase at last season’s festival with the former prevailing and that pair are both entered here, while the hugely progressive Victtorino, who narrowly won at Ascot at the weekend, and Broadway Boy are another brace of quality performers looking to bag victory in one of the most competitive races of the entire meeting.
2025 Ultima Handicap Chase Entries
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Affordale Fury | Noel Meade |
| 2 | Broadway Boy | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 3 | Conflated | Gordon Elliott |
| 4 | Copperhead | Joe Tizzard |
| 5 | Crebilly | Jonjo & A J O’Neill |
| 6 | Famous Bridge | Nicky Richards |
| 7 | Fantastic Lady | Nicky Henderson |
| 8 | Farouk D’Alene | Gary Brown |
| 9 | Favori De Champdou | Gordon Elliott |
| 10 | Frero Banbou | Venetia Williams |
| 11 | Ga Law | Jamie Snowden |
| 12 | Gelino Bello | Paul Nicholls |
| 13 | Ginny’s Destiny | Paul Nicholls |
| 14 | Gold Tweet | Gabriel Leenders |
| 15 | Grandeur D’Ame | Alan King |
| 16 | Guard Your Dreams | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 17 | Happygolucky | Mel Rowley |
| 18 | Henry’s Friend | Ben Pauling |
| 19 | Herakles Westwood | Warren Greatrex |
| 20 | Hyland | Nicky Henderson |
| 21 | Iris Emery | Willie Mullins |
| 22 | Johnnywho | Jonjo & A J O’Neill |
| 23 | Katate Dori | Sam Thomas |
| 24 | King Turgeon | David Pipe |
| 25 | La Malmason | Gavin Cromwell |
| 26 | La Renommee | Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole |
| 27 | Le Patron | Gary & Josh Moore |
| 28 | Lowry’s Bar | Philip Hobbs & Johnson White |
| 29 | Malina Girl | Gavin Cromwell |
| 30 | Masaccio | Alan King |
| 31 | Mint Boy | Gavin Cromwell |
| 32 | Myretown | Lucinda Russell |
| 33 | Pats Fancy | Rebecca Curtis |
| 34 | Quick Wave | Venetia Williams |
| 35 | Richmond Lake | Donald McCain |
| 36 | Sa Fureur | Gordon Elliott |
| 37 | Search For Glory | Gordon Elliott |
| 38 | Sequestered | Paul John Gilligan |
| 39 | Shakem Up’arry | Ben Pauling |
| 40 | Stay Away Fay | Paul Nicholls |
| 41 | Straw Fan Jack | Sheila Lewis |
| 42 | Tahmuras | Paul Nicholls |
| 43 | The Changing Man | Joe Tizzard |
| 44 | The Short Go | Henry De Bromhead |
| 45 | Trelawne | Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls |
| 46 | Victtorino | Venetia Williams |
| 47 | Whistle Stop Tour | Lucinda Russell |
| 48 | Will Do | Gordon Elliott |
| 49 | Zanahiyr | Gordon Elliott |
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