National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Preview, Tips, Runners & Trends (Cheltenham Festival)

2025 National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Preview

Previously staged over 4 miles with 25 fences to be negotiated, the National Hunt Chase underwent a few tweaks for the 2020 renewal after changes were announced in August 2019 by the British Horse Racing Authority on the grounds of welfare standards. The race distance was reduced to just short of 3 miles and 6 furlongs moving forward and the number of fences jumped decreased from 25 to 23.

The amateur jockeys competing must also have ridden at least 5 winners over fences and taken at least 20 mounts under rules (which excludes point to points). These changes should in no way detract from what has been a significant stepping stone for future top-staying chase winners.

Dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll won this in 2017, Native River was runner-up in 2016 before going on to Gold Cup glory in 2018 and he chased home Minella Rocco who finished runner in the 2017 Gold Cup. So this extreme distance for fairly unexposed fledgeling chasers is a race worth keeping in those trackers for possible future Grand National tips and Gold Cup pointers.

National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Information:

• National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Past Winners
• National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Trainer Statistics
• National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Jockey Statistics

We also have a dedicated Cheltenham tips page that will cover this race as well as all of the other races on the day of the race, see which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are predicting to win this race and the others on the cards. We cover every race at the Cheltenham Festival and below you can find links to all of the races for each of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.

How competitive is the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2022 when the race had an over-round of 109%. The race in 2016 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 126%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, the over-round has been 120%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £120 which is bet.

National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Trends:

• 2025 National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Trends
• National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Trend Analysis

Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? From the past 20 if you had followed the winner of the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup next time out then you would have backed a total of 2 winners. Backing all 19 runners who have been out since to win at SP next time out, would have returned an LSP of -2.00. Remember to use the racing predictions along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2025 National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup.

The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2018 renewal when Rathvinden from W P Mullins under the guidance of Mr P W Mullins, won in a time of 8:50.30, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Stattler, trained by W P Mullins and ridden by Mr P W Mullins set the quickest time of 7:37.80 in the 2022 renewal.

These are the top three quickest-run National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup over the last 20 renewals:

1. Stattler (7:37.80) in 2022
2. Galvin (7:57.84) in 2021
3. Gaillard Du Mesnil (7:59.62) in 2023

National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Past Winners

Here are the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won along with the age & weight of the horse. The trainer of the horse at the time of winning the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup as well as the jockey is also displayed along with the starting price the horse was sent off.

Where have the winning runners come from?

Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup have been based:

• IRE: 10 winners with an additional 18 placings from 96 runners
• GB: 8 winners with an additional 19 placings from 220 runners
• FR: 2 winners with an additional 1 placing from 6 runners

National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Trainer Statistics

There are two leading trainers in the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup over the last 20 renewals with both W P Mullins and Gordon Elliott who have both won the race four times. W P Mullins winners have been with Back In Focus (2013), Rathvinden (2018), Stattler (2022) and Gaillard Du Mesnil (2023). Gordon Elliott winners have been with Chicago Grey (2011), Cause Of Causes (2015), Tiger Roll (2017) and Ravenhill (2020). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup are Jonjo O'Neill (2 wins) and Alan King (2 wins). Two trainers have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, David Pipe has sent a total of 12 runners to the race without recording any wins whilst Paul Nicholls has sent out 11 without a winner.

Here are some of the top National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):

National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Jockey Statistics

The leading jockey in the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup over the last 20 renewals is Mr P W Mullins who has won the race four times with those four winners coming from Back In Focus (2013), Rathvinden (2018), Stattler (2022) and Gaillard Du Mesnil (2023). Other jockeys who have recorded multiple wins in the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup are Mr Derek O'Connor (3 wins) and Mr J J Codd (3 wins). Two jockeys have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, Mr B O'Neill has ridden a total of 13 runners to the race without recording any wins whilst Mr William Biddick has ridden 12 without a winner.

Here are some of the top National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):

2025 National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Trends

Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 5, 3, F, 5, 4, 5, 1, 1, 1, 9, 10, 4, 5, UR, F, UR, 3, 2, 1, 2

The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones as you would expect them to do well.

• 20 / 20 (76%) - No bigger than 40/1
• 20 / 20 (82%) - Beaten no more -19l (Debut)
• 20 / 20 (83%) - Held an OR of 117+ (Last 5)
• 20 / 20 (83%) - Within the first 14 of the market
• 20 / 20 (84%) - Not in a G2/LST/Cl5-6 (Last Win)
• 20 / 20 (85%) - Held an OR of 118+ (Career)
• 20 / 20 (85%) - Ran over 2m4f - 3m2f (LTO)
• 20 / 20 (86%) - Achieved a TS of 22+ (Last Win)
• 20 / 20 (86%) - Made 4 - 13 starts (1 Year)
• 20 / 20 (87%) - Off a break of 18 - 144 days
• 20 / 20 (89%) - Not in POL/SCO/WAL (Debut)
• 19 / 20 (79%) - No bigger than 50/1 (Career)
• 19 / 20 (87%) - No bigger than 12/1 (LTO)
• 19 / 20 (87%) - Placed within last 3 starts
• 18 / 20 (87%) - Achieved a TS of 102+ (Career)

Remember to use the trends listed above along with the Cheltenham racing predictions to see if you can find the winner of the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup. if you are unaware of what trends and statistics are, how they can be used etc then head over to the OLBG Betting School and read this Stats And Trends article which will make everything much clearer.

Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, It is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup by adding a tip on the race here.

National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup Trend Analysis

The trend factor which had produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +50.29 is when runners were aged 7yo. The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had a furthest trip run of 3m, when backing these the trend shows a record of 0-65.

The course which has produced the most winners of the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup is Leopardstown, there has been a total number of 4 winners of this race who ran at Leopardstown last time out. The next best course which has produced the second most winners is Cheltenham, there has been a total number of 3 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out.

The race is open to both sexes with the Male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 306 runners whilst the Female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 16 runners.

Looking over the past renewals, there is only one stallion whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, that stallion Oscar has produced 2 winners (2012,2009).

These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup despite multiple attempts:

• Presenting (0 Wins from 21 runners)
• Flemensfirth (0 Wins from 15 runners)
• Beneficial (0 Wins from 9 runners)
• Kayf Tara (0 Wins from 8 runners)
• Milan (0 Wins from 8 runners)

Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Another Rum in 2005, winning for Ian Duncan at odds of 40/1 under the guidance of Mr M J O'Hare. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals there have been 4 winning favourites in the race. Whilst we wait for the 2025 National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup remember you can get daily racing predictions from the top racing tipsters on the best racing tipsters page.

Schedule for Tuesday at the Cheltenham Festival

Prepare for the ROAR of the Cheltenham Festival on the opening day when the tape goes up for the Supreme Novices Hurdle, the feature on Tuesday is the Champion Hurdle.

Schedule for Wednesday at the Cheltenham Festival

The dust has settled on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival and now on to day two. The feature on the second day is the Queen Mother Champion Chase. We also have the cross country scheduled on Wednesday, a race like Marmite, some love it and some don't!

Schedule for Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival

Halfway through the festival and onto day three where the Stayers Hurdle is the feature race. A hurdle race to test the stamina and see how can last best up the Cheltenham hill.

Schedule for Friday at the Cheltenham Festival

The final day of the festival and feature race that we have all been waiting for, the Cheltenham Gold Cup in which the Irish have been fairly dominant in recent years.