Hunters' Chase Tips & Odds
The Festival Hunters' Chase is the penultimate race on day four of the Cheltenham Festival and is off at 16:40 on Friday 13th March 2026. Read More
You can see the latest odds for the race here along with our Cheltenham tips for what should be a thrilling contest.
Nearer the off, we will have a racecard with the runners for the event, while you can also see information on how to place a bet on the Festival Hunters' Chase with some horse racing betting sites and our dedicated links.
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Festival Hunters' Chase Tips
WRAPPEDUPINMAY has emerged as a fascinating contender for the 2026 Hunters’ Chase after a career revival since leaving Paul Nicholls. Once considered a promising prospect in the professional ranks, his progress stalled due to breathing issues that required wind surgery before he was sold in early 2025 and sent to leading Irish point-to-point trainer Sam Curling.
That switch has transformed him. Curling, who won this race last year with Wonderwall, has patiently rebuilt the gelding’s confidence on the amateur circuit and the results have been striking. After returning with a solid second, Wrappedupinmay quickly qualified for this race and then produced a dominant display at Carrigarostig, powering clear to win by 11 lengths under top amateur Derek O’Connor.
With proven stamina in his pedigree and a profile that suggests he will relish Cheltenham’s demanding test, Wrappedupinmay looks a serious contender for the Festival Hunters’ Chase.
About the Festival Hunters' Chase
The Festival Hunters' Chase is a chase for amateur riders on the fourth and final day of the Cheltenham Festival, Gold Cup Day, and is run over a distance of three miles, two furlongs and 70 yards. It is known as the “amateur Gold Cup” due to being run over the same trip as the festival feature, and 40 minutes later. The race has had several sponsors over the years, and is currently backed by St James’s Place.
The Festival Hunters' Chase was established in 1904 and is currently sponsored by St James’s Place Ltd. The race has never been won three times by one horse, though several horses have won the race twice - with the most recent being the Paul Nicholls-trained Pacha Du Polder, who won the race in 2017 and 2018. Paul Nicholls has a good record in the race, and is the joint-winning most trainer along with Richard Barber in the Hunters', with four wins.
Festival Hunters' Chase Key Trends
- Seven of the last 10 winners have been aged 10 or 11
- Three of the last 10 winners have been favourite
- Five of the last 10 winners have been priced 16/1 or bigger
Previous Winners Of The Festival Hunters' Chase
| Year | Winner | Winning Jockey | Winning Trainer | Starting Price | AGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Wonderwall | Rob James | Sam Curling | 9/1 | 9 |
| 2024 | Sine Nomine` | John Dawson | Fiona Needham | 8/1 | 8 |
| 2023 | Premier Magic | Bradley Gibbs | Bradley Gibbs | 66/1 | 10 |
| 2022 | Billaway | Patrick Mullins | Willie Mullins | 13/8 Fav | 10 |
| 2021 | Porlock Bay | Lorcan Williams | Will Biddick | 16/1 | 10 |
| 2020 | It Came To Pass | Maxine O'Sullivan | Eugene O'Sullivan | 66/1 | 10 |
| 2019 | Hazel Hill | Alex Edwards | Philip Rowley | 7/2 Fav | 10 |
| 2018 | Pacha Du Polder | Harriet Tucker | Paul Nicholls | 25/1 | 10 |
| 2017 | Pacha Du Polder | Bryony Frost | Paul Nicholls | 16/1 | 9 |
| 2016 | On The Fringe | Nina Carberry | Enda Bolger | 13/8 Fav | 11 |
Frequently Asked Questions About The Festival Hunters' Chase
When is the Festival Hunters' Chase?
The race takes place at 16:40 on Friday 13th March 2026.
Where can I watch the St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase
Watch the race live on ITV1 and Racing TV who also offer options to stream the race via their streaming services.
Alternatively most bookmakers offer a free live horse racing stream allowing you to watch the race after you've placed a bet.
Who is the most iconic winner of the St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase?
Hunter chase horses tend to move into this sphere in the closing stages of their careers, so On The Fringe proved to be an exception to the rule, making his debut in this sphere as a five-year-old, and he has developed into an excellent hunter chase performer. Having finished fourth and third in the 2011 and 2014 renewals respectively, On The Fringe took a step up to win the then Foxhunter Chase in 2015, going on to complete a remarkable hat-trick by following up at Aintree and then Punchestown in the following two months. On The Fringe wasn’t finished there, and returned 12 months later to seal a remarkable double hat-trick by winning all three races once again in 2016, and sealing an astonishing fifth win in the Punchestown race in the process. His powers have seemingly waned over the last couple of years or so, though he continues to be capable of the remarkable, and won at Listowel as a 14-year-old in June, meaning that he may not be finished quite yet...
Are there any trials for the Festival Hunters' Chase?
The Hunters' Chase is a specialised event, meaning that to qualify, a horse must have finished first or second in two hunter chase races during the season, or have performed well in point-to-point races - or a combination of the two. As such, it’s worth keeping an eye on the sphere in general for eye-catching performances, though some races are more popular than others as warm-up races - for example, Pacha Du Polder used the same race at Doncaster as a warm-up for each of his wins, while the hunter chase on the Morebattle Hurdle card at Kelso usually attracts a talented runner or two.
Who is the most successful jockey in the Festival Hunters' Chase?
The most successful jockey in the Hunters' or Foxhunter Chase since 1946 is Colman Sweeney, who has ridden the winner of the race on three occasions, with Sleeping Night (2005) and Salsify (2012 & 2013).
Who is the most successful trainer in the Festival Hunters' Chase?
The joint-most successful trainers in the history of the Hunter's or Foxhunter Chase are Richard Barber and Paul Nicholls, with four wins each. Nicholls’ four wins in the race have come courtesy of Earthmover (2004), Sleeping Night (2005), and Pacha Du Polder (2017 & 2018), while Barber’s four winners came with Rushing Wild (1992), Fantus (1995 & 1997) and Earthmover (1998).