You know how punters get lost in too much data or bet blindly? I break down the stats and trends so you can feel confident you’re betting with more than just gut instinct.
2026 Ryanair Chase Preview
The Ryanair Chase made its debut at the Cheltenham Festival in 2005, and before then, horses with a middle-distance profile didn't have a natural home at the Festival. It was upgraded to Grade One status in 2008, run over two miles and five furlongs, the Ryanair Chase is seen as an easier alternative to the Gold Cup, but it has usually attracted high-quality fields.
It can produce future Gold Cup winners, in 2009 Imperial Commander won the Ryanair Chase and followed up in the Gold Cup 12 months later, whilst 2019 winner Frodon went on to win the 2020 King George VI Chase at Kempton. Bryony Frost became the first woman to win a Grade 1 chase when riding Frodon to success in 2019.
Crack the Ryanair Chase code using our detailed breakdown of historical race data and trainer records, and amplify your betting power with the Cheltenham betting offers.
Ryanair Chase Information:
Why not use the trends shortlist below to help you narrow down the field and then head over to the dedicated Cheltenham tips page to see which runners are being supported by the OLBG expert racing tipsters to find yourself a bet? 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.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the Ryanair Chase 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 2010 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 120%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Ryanair Chase, the over-round has been 115%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £115 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Ryanair Chase Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Ryanair Chase Trend Analysis. With the field now finalised, we have the Ryanair Chase Trend Shortlist, which is created using the listed trends.
These are the top three quickest-run Ryanair Chase races over the last 20 renewals:
- Uxizandre (5:01.10) in 2015
- Fondmort (5:03.00) in 2006
- Vautour (5:05.50) in 2016
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Ryanair Chase next time out, then you would have backed a total of 4 winners. Backing all 20 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of +3.83. Ahead of the 2026 Ryanair Chase, why not head over to the racing predictions for tips on other races today?
When looking over the past 20 renewals, a time of 5:01.10 was set by Uxizandre in 2015, trained by Alan King and ridden by A P McCoy, which is the quickest time over that period. The slowest winning time was set in 2018 when Balko Des Flos won in a time of 5:23.60 for trainer Henry De Bromhead, who booked Davy Russell in the saddle.
Ryanair Chase Past Winners
Here are the Ryanair Chase past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse that won, and the horse's age & weight. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Ryanair Chase are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 5:09.61 | Fact To File (FR) 8yo 11-10 6/4F | Mark Walsh W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2024 5:21.43 | Protektorat (FR) 9yo 11-10 17/2 | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2023 5:12.31 | Envoi Allen (FR) 9yo 11-10 13/2 | Rachael Blackmore Henry De Bromhead (IRE) |
| 2022 5:09.71 | Allaho (FR) 8yo 11-10 4/7F | Paul Townend W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2021 5:09.40 | Allaho (FR) 7yo 11-10 3/1F | Rachael Blackmore W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2020 5:19.66 | Min (FR) 9yo 11-10 2/1 | Paul Townend W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2019 5:09.59 | Frodon (FR) 7yo 11-10 9/2 | Bryony Frost Paul Nicholls (GB) |
| 2018 5:23.60 | Balko Des Flos (FR) 7yo 11-10 8/1 | Davy Russell Henry De Bromhead (IRE) |
| 2017 5:09.60 | Un De Sceaux (FR) 9yo 11-10 7/4F | R Walsh W P Mullins (IRE) |
| 2016 5:05.50 | Vautour (FR) 7yo 11-10 1/1F | R Walsh W P Mullins (IRE) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Ryanair Chase have been based:
- GB: 12 winners with an additional 17 placings from 121 runners
- IRE: 8 winners with an additional 20 placings from 78 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 1 placing from 5 runners
2025 Ryanair Chase Replay
Ryanair Chase Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Ryanair Chase over the last 20 renewals is W P Mullins, who has won the race six times, with those six winners coming from Vautour (2016), Un De Sceaux (2017), Min (2020), Allaho (2021 & 2022) and Fact To File (2025). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Ryanair Chase are Nicky Henderson (2 wins) and Henry De Bromhead (2 wins).
Here are the Ryanair Chase trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals for trainers who have entries in the 2026 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (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):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| W P Mullins | 27-6-11 | -11.18 | -4.60 |
| Nicky Henderson | 19-2-5 | -10.17 | -9.00 |
| Henry De Bromhead | 14-2-7 | +2.50 | +3.59 |
| Gordon Elliott | 8-0-2 | -8.00 | -5.65 |
| Joseph Patrick O'Brien | 2-0-1 | -2.00 | -0.95 |
Ryanair Chase Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the Ryanair Chase over the last 20 renewals is Paul Townend, who has won the race two times, with those two winners coming from Min (2020) and Allaho (2022).
Here are the Ryanair Chase jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals for jockeys who have rides in the 2026 renewal; those not listed have not had a runner. (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):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Townend (Impaire Et Passe) | 8-2-3 | -3.43 | -3.85 |
| Mark Walsh (Fact To File) | 7-1-3 | -4.50 | -2.05 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies (Master Chewy) | 7-0-0 | -7.00 | -7.00 |
| Nico de Boinville (Jonbon) | 4-0-1 | -4.00 | -3.40 |
| Darragh O'Keeffe (Heart Wood) | 2-0-1 | -2.00 | +0.30 |
| Jack Kennedy (Croke Park) | 2-0-1 | -2.00 | -0.40 |
| J J Slevin (Matata) | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -2.00 |
| Brendan Powell (JPR One) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
| Sean Bowen (Banbridge) | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | -1.00 |
2026 Ryanair Chase Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): (1, 3), 4, 5, 2, 2, 4, 1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 1, 2, 8, 3, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1
The percentage shown is the proportion 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 (66%) - No bigger than 16/1
- 20 / 20 (81%) - Within the first 8 of the market
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Not in a Cl2-3 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Off a break of 26 - 82 days
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Ran in 1 - 4 races (Season)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - Carried 139 - 168lbs (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Achieved a TS of 129+ (Last 5)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Ran in 1 - 6 races (1 Year)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Ran in 7 - 24 races (Non-Hcps)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Break of 26 - 342 days (Last Place)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Held an OR of 152+
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Ran in 1 - 4 races (180 Days)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - No bigger than 8/1 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Beaten no more -15l (Debut)
- 19 / 20 (81%) - No bigger than 33/1 (Debut)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Cheltenham racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Ryanair Chase. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
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 Ryanair Chase by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Ryanair Chase Trend Shortlist
Cheltenham will host the 2026 renewal of the Ryanair Chase, which will be run at 4:00 pm on Thursday, 12th March 2026, and these are the runners who perform best based on the trends, along with the trainer, jockey and their record in the race (Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP):
- 15/15 Fact To File (4/7)
- W P Mullins (27-6-11 -11.18 / -4.60)
- Mark Walsh (7-1-3 -4.50 / -2.05)
Others: Heart Wood (14/15), Impaire Et Passe (14/15), Banbridge (13/15), JPR One (13/15), Jonbon (13/15), Croke Park (12/15), Matata (12/15) and Master Chewy (9/15).
*Trainer & Jockey numbers are Runs-Wins-Places Win LSP / EW LSP, Runners, Odds and Trends Passed/Failed correct at the time of posting (2:40 pm Tuesday 10th March 2026), if no odds were available at the time of posting, then forecasted odds are used.
Fact To File won the Irish Gold Cup last time out, and a total of 3 previous winners of that race from a total of 19 runners went on to win next time out, backing them all would have returned an LSP of -6.69.
Heart Wood won the Tramore New Years Day Chase last time out, and a total of 5 previous winners of that race from a total of 19 runners went on to win next time out, backing them all would have returned an LSP of +14.23.
Jonbon won the Ascot Chase last time out, and a total of 5 previous winners of that race from a total of 18 runners went on to win next time out, backing them all would have returned an LSP of -0.96.
JPR One won the Scottish Champion Chase last time out, and a total of 3 previous winners of that race from a total of 14 runners went on to win next time out, backing them all would have returned an LSP of +0.23.
Ryanair Chase Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +17.07, is when runners had 1 career start over the trip.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 1 career place at the track, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-57.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Ryanair Chase is Kempton; there have been a total of 5 winners of this race who ran at Kempton last time out. The next best courses, which have produced the second most winners, are Leopardstown, Ascot and Cheltenham; there have been a total of 3 winners from each of those courses.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 199 runners, while female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 5 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Ryanair Chase:
- Accordion (2 Wins)
- Kings Theatre (2 Wins)
- No Risk At All (2 Wins)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Uxizandre in 2015, winning for Alan King at odds of 16/1 under the guidance of A P McCoy. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 8 winning favourites in the race. Ahead of the 2026 Ryanair Chase, why not head over to the best racing tipster page to see what the tipsters are backing today?
Route to the Ryanair Chase
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Ryanair Chase. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Fact To File Leopardstown - 3rd of 10 (10/3) | Irish Gold Cup |
| 2024 - Protektorat Newbury - 3rd of 5 (10/3) | Denman Chase |
| 2023 - Envoi Allen Kempton - 7th of 9 (4/1) | King George VI Chase |
| 2022 - Allaho Thurles - 1st of 4 (4/11) | Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase |
| 2021 - Allaho Thurles - 1st of 7 (10/11) | Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase |
| 2020 - Min Leopardstown - 2nd of 7 (7/4) | Dublin Chase |
| 2019 - Frodon Cheltenham - 1st of 6 (9/4) | Cotswold Chase |
| 2018 - Balko Des Flos Leopardstown - 2nd of 12 (66/1) | Savills Chase |
| 2017 - Un De Sceaux Cheltenham - 1st of 7 (1/2) | Clarence House Chase |
| 2016 - Vautour Kempton - 2nd of 9 (3/1) | King George VI Chase |
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.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Supreme Novices Hurdle | Kopek Des Bordes (FR) 5yo - 4/6 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 14:00 Cheltenham Arkle Challenge Trophy | Jango Baie (FR) 6yo - 5/1 | Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville |
| 14:40 Cheltenham Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle | Puturhandstogether (IRE) 4yo - 17/2 | Joseph Patrick O'Brien Mark Walsh |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Ultima Handicap Chase | Myretown (IRE) 8yo - 13/2 | Lucinda Russell Patrick Wadge |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Champion Hurdle | Golden Ace (GB) 7yo - 25/1 | Jeremy Scott Lorcan Williams |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Festival Plate | Jagwar (FR) 6yo - 3/1 | Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero Jonjo O'Neill Jr |
| 17:20 Cheltenham National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup | Haiti Couleurs (FR) 8yo - 7/2 | Rebecca Curtis Ben Jones |
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!
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Turners Novices Hurdle | The New Lion (GB) 6yo - 3/1 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| 14:00 Cheltenham Brown Advisory Novices Chase | Lecky Watson (IRE) 7yo - 20/1 | W P Mullins Sean O'Keeffe |
| 14:40 Cheltenham BetMGM Cup | Jimmy Du Seuil (FR) 6yo - 16/1 | W P Mullins Danny Mullins |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Cross Country Chase | Stumptown (IRE) 8yo - 5/2 | Gavin Cromwell Keith Donoghue |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Queen Mother Champion Chase | Marine Nationale (IRE) 8yo - 5/1 | Barry Connell Sean Flanagan |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Johnny Henderson Grand Annual | Jazzy Matty (FR) 6yo - 15/2 | Cian Collins Danny Gilligan |
| 17:20 Cheltenham Champion Bumper | Bambino Fever (IRE) 5yo - 4/1 | W P Mullins Miss J Townend |
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 up the Cheltenham hill.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Mares Novices Hurdle | Air Of Entitlement (IRE) 6yo - 16/1 | Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore |
| 14:00 Cheltenham Novices Limited Handicap Chase | Caldwell Potter (FR) 7yo - 7/1 | Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden |
| 14:40 Cheltenham Close Brothers Mares Hurdle | Lossiemouth (FR) 6yo - 4/6 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Stayers Hurdle | Bob Olinger (IRE) 10yo - 8/1 | Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Ryanair Chase | Fact To File (FR) 8yo - 6/4 | W P Mullins Mark Walsh |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Pertemps Network Final | Doddiethegreat (IRE) 9yo - 25/1 | Nicky Henderson Brian Hughes |
| 17:20 Cheltenham Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | Daily Present (IRE) 8yo - 12/1 | Paul Nolan Mr B T Stone |
Schedule for Friday at the Cheltenham Festival
The final day of the festival and the feature race that we have all been waiting for, the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which the Irish have been fairly dominant in recent years.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 13:20 Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle | Poniros (GB) 4yo - 100/1 | W P Mullins Jonjo O'Neill Jr |
| 14:00 Cheltenham County Handicap Hurdle | Kargese (FR) 5yo - 3/1 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 14:40 Cheltenham Mrs Paddy Power Mares Chase | Dinoblue (FR) 8yo - 6/4 | W P Mullins Mark Walsh |
| 15:20 Cheltenham Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle | Jasmin De Vaux (FR) 6yo - 6/1 | W P Mullins Paul Townend |
| 16:00 Cheltenham Cheltenham Gold Cup | Inothewayurthinkin (IRE) 7yo - 15/2 | Gavin Cromwell Mark Walsh |
| 16:40 Cheltenham Festival Hunters Chase | Wonderwall (IRE) 9yo - 28/1 | S Curling Mr R James |
| 17:20 Cheltenham Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle | Wodhooh (FR) 5yo - 9/2 | Gordon Elliott Danny Gilligan |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Ryanair Chase Preview are Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
Darren Brett
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
Other Principal Races at the Cheltenham Racecourse
Here are some other notable races at the Cheltenham racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.
Races in January (Festival Trials Day)
- Cheltenham Trophy Handicap Chase
- Classic Novices' Hurdle
- Cleeve Hurdle
- Cotswold Chase
- International Hurdle
- JCB Triumph Juvenile Hurdle Trial
- Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase
Races in January
Races in April
Races in October (Showcase Meeting)
Races in November (November Meeting)
- Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase
- Hyde Novices' Hurdle
- Shloer Chase
- Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase
- JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle
- Paddy Power Gold Cup
- Greatwood Hurdle
- November Meeting Handicap Chase
