Betfair Chase Runners & Riders

The Betfair Chase is one of the earliest marker posts in the jumps season, held at Haydock Park. Here, GG’s writers provide their best bets and tips, as we also go through the runners and odds.

Betfair Chase Betting Tips

The beginning of what is the National Hunt equivalent of the “Triple Crown”, the Betfair Chase is the first staying Grade 1 chase of the British jumps season. It was introduced relatively recently in 2005, but gained a reputation very quickly due to the exploits of Kauto Star, who won the race on four occasions among his era of dominance between 2006 and 2011.

This year’s runners are set to possess a mix of experience and potential. Here are our tipsters’ selections for the race.

Who are the Top Three Favourites to Win this Year’s Betfair Chase?

The Betfair Chase is usually contested by a small field, so those towards the top of the market must be strongly considered from an early stage of the jumps season after odds are first offered. The bookmakers currently believe these three favourites are in with the best chance of winning the 2025 Betfair Chase.

Grey Dawning

Any race featuring Grey Dawning is likely to turn into a thrilling spectacle. Dan Skelton’s charge is an aggressive jumper, taking on his obstacles, which can lead to some incredible leaps as well as near spills. Interwoven amongst that showmanship is some significant talent too.

He won what may prove to be the last ever edition of the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, with that contest having been disbanded since. However, last season did not go to plan for him broadly, though he was an unfortunate second in this a year ago behind Royale Pagaille when fluffing his lines at the final fence.

Caldwell Potter

A second season chaser, Caldwell Potter improved throughout the 2024/25 jumps season. Having been a talented novice hurdler for Gordon Elliott, the grey was subject to plenty of press given his E740,000 price tag when sold in the Caldwell dispersal sale. Initially, it looked unlikely that he would come remotely close to justifying the expense.

However, after two defeats in his first three chase starts, Caldwell Potter improved significantly to win the novices’ handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival and followed it up with a first Grade 1 victory over fences at Aintree. That came when stepped up to 3m1f, so this trip is within his range, while he also likes ground on the softer side, which usually prevails at Haydock in November.

Royale Pagaille

The defending champion is not often heralded as a top class horse, but Royale Pagaille’s record at Haydock is not one to be underestimated – the now 11-year-old has won five times at the track, including the last two editions of the Betfair Chase.

This course is clearly where he finds his best form, with only one of his wins in Great Britain coming at a different track. However, he has been second in a King George too and been consistent in the Gold Cup, so this wily veteran should not be underestimated at the track he holds so dear.

Last Year’s Betfair Chase Odds

5/1 winners are not usually shocks, but there was an element of surprise about Royale Pagaille winning at that SP a year ago.

Betfair Chase Racecourse 

The Betfair Chase has always been hosted at Haydock Park, never deviating from the Merseyside track since its inception in 2005. Haydock has a propensity for very soft going, so this is often a bigger stamina test than many other Grade 1 races at 3m.

There is no huge benefit at the track in terms of ideal position within a race, but soft ground lovers should definitely be taken more seriously. Equally, since Kauto Star dominated the race during his era, course specialists have also performed extremely well in the Betfair Chase, with Bristol De Mai winning three and Royale Pagaille having won three times at Haydock before getting his head in front in the 2023 and 2024 renewals.

Betting Strategies for the Betfair Chase

The Betfair Chase only attracts a small field so you have to be calculated in the way you bet on the race.

Each Way

Sometimes the Betfair Chase will only attract four runners, which means you cannot back each-way, as returns will only be given to the winner. However, above that number, you can sometimes find a decent bet for second.

Non Runner No Bet

With the Betfair Chase usually seeing a reduced field, plenty of runners in the ante-post markets will not end up running. Backing your chosen selection well before the event can be done with NRNB terms to make sure that you do not lose if your horse does not even start the Betfair Chase.

Without the Favourite

Favourites can sometimes go off at very short prices in the Betfair Chase. When Kauto Star won at odds-on in 2007 and 2009, the runners-up, Exotic Dancer and Imperial Commander, both went off at decent prices of 8/1 and 9/1 respectively. With without the favourite markets in play, they would have returned a healthy profit just for finishing second.

Are There Any Specific Betfair Chase Betting Offers?

The Betfair Chase is a significant race in the National Hunt calendar, so there will definitely be Betfair Chase offers nearer the off.

Betfair Chase Trends & Historic Data

As it is not an old race, the Betfair Chase can be analysed from its very beginning.

Former winners of the race are a good place to start for bettors. Eight of its runnings have been won by a horse who had already won it before, which given there have only been 19 re=newals, is a remarkable strike rate.

Equally, course form and form on heavy were vital for Bristol De Mai, although sometimes you cannot beat class. Kauto Star, Silviniaco Conti and Cue Card were all well above average chasers who appear on the roll call more than once.

In terms of age, seven-year-olds have the best recent record, taking out four of the last six runnings.

Betfair Chase Horse Entries & Selections

The Betfair Chase has never attracted a field of ten or more runners, with single-figure fields from the very start. As such, any horse who is declared for the race come the time is guaranteed to run.

Only horses aged five or older are eligible to run, but that is the only age barrier. Kauto Star won this at the age of six and 11, while Silviniaco Conti (also six) and Cue Card at the age of ten in 2016, have also been successful at opposite ends of the age spectrum.

Which Trainers Have Historically Had the Most Success in the Betfair Chase?

As with so many jumps races in recent years, Paul Nicholls sits atop the tree in terms of number of victories. He has won the race on six occasions, but only two horses, as Kauto Star racked up four wins and Silviniaco Conti two.

Nicholls’ lead at the top is not substantial though. Despite only being in existence for 19 runnings so far, both Nigel Twiston-Davies and Colin Tizzard also have four wins in the race. The former sent out Haydock hero Bristol De Mai to win three Betfair Chases, with Twiston-Davies’ own hat-trick hero being Cue Card in the mid-2010s. A first Irish winner of the race arrived in 2021 when that season’s Gold Cup scorer A Plus Tard won disdainfully by 22 lengths under Rachael Blackmore.

Runners & Riders Past Winners