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 Ultima Handicap Chase Preview
The Ultima Handicap Chase features on the opening day of the festival at the Cheltenham Racecourse. A 3m1f Handicap Chase is normally run at a good speed and can, therefore, be a real test of stamina. Despite being a handicap, this has been a good race for punters over the years, with horses near the front of the market showing a good return.
The race is arguably the premier trial for the Grand National. Because it requires accurate jumping under pressure and immense stamina, horses that finish in the top four here are immediately shortlisted for Aintree. Corach Rambler won the Grand National just three weeks after winning this race.
Dominate the Ultima Handicap Chase betting scene by leveraging our expert insights into previous race patterns and trainer stats, and don't forget to check out the free bets for Cheltenham.
Ultima Handicap Chase Information:
- Ultima Handicap Chase Past Winners
- Ultima Handicap Chase Trainer Statistics
- Ultima Handicap Chase Jockey Statistics
To see which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are tipping throughout the card that includes this race, head over to the Cheltenham tips on the day of the race. Do they agree with the runners on the trend shortlist, or are they predicting other runners? 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 Ultima Handicap Chase market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2021, when the race had an over-round of 122%. The race in 2023 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 138%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Ultima Handicap Chase, the over-round has been 129%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £129 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Ultima Handicap 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 Ultima Handicap Chase Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Ultima Handicap Chase races over the last 20 renewals:
- Holywell (6:01.80) in 2014
- Alfie Sherrin (6:08.60) in 2012
- Bensalem (6:10.00) in 2011
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 Ultima Handicap Chase next time out, then you would have backed a total of 2 winners. Backing all 20 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -6.50. Whilst we wait for the 2026 Ultima Handicap Chase, remember you can get daily racing predictions from the expert tipsters on the racing predictions page.
The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2024 renewal when Chianti Classico from Kim Bailey under the guidance of David Bass, won in a time of 6:55.79, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Holywell, trained by Jonjo O'Neill and ridden by Richie McLernon set the quickest time of 6:01.80 in the 2014 renewal.
| Ultima Handicap Chase NRNB 10 Mar @ 15:20 - AntePost | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jagwar | 5.50 | |
| Myretown | 11.00 | |
| Wendigo | 11.00 | |
| Quebecois | 13.00 | |
| King Of Answers | 13.00 | |
Ultima Handicap Chase Past Winners
Here are the Ultima Handicap 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 Ultima Handicap Chase are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 6:23.22 | Myretown (IRE) 8yo 10-3 13/2F | Patrick Wadge Lucinda Russell (GB) |
| 2024 6:55.79 | Chianti Classico (IRE) 7yo 11-4 6/1 | David Bass Kim Bailey (GB) |
| 2023 6:30.55 | Corach Rambler (IRE) 9yo 11-5 6/1F | Derek Fox Lucinda Russell (GB) |
| 2022 6:18.26 | Corach Rambler (IRE) 8yo 10-2 10/1 | Derek Fox Lucinda Russell (GB) |
| 2021 6:31.00 | Vintage Clouds (IRE) 11yo 10-11 28/1 | Ryan Mania Sue Smith (GB) |
| 2020 6:50.75 | The Conditional (IRE) 8yo 10-6 15/2 | Brendan Powell David Bridgwater (GB) |
| 2019 6:39.02 | Beware The Bear (IRE) 9yo 11-8 10/1 | Jeremiah McGrath Nicky Henderson (GB) |
| 2018 6:47.50 | Coo Star Sivola (FR) 6yo 10-10 5/1F | Lizzie Kelly (3lbs) Nick Williams (GB) |
| 2017 6:20.00 | Un Temps Pour Tout (IRE) 8yo 11-12 9/1 | Tom Scudamore David Pipe (GB) |
| 2016 6:17.80 | Un Temps Pour Tout (IRE) 7yo 11-7 11/1 | Tom Scudamore David Pipe (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Ultima Handicap Chase have been based:
- GB: 18 winners with an additional 46 placings from 366 runners
- IRE: 1 winner with an additional 11 placings from 54 runners
- FR: 1 winner with an additional 2 placings from 11 runners
2025 Ultima Handicap Chase Replay
Ultima Handicap Chase Trainer Statistics
There are multiple leading trainers in the Ultima Handicap Chase over the last 20 renewals, with David Pipe, Jonjo O'Neill, and Lucinda Russell having all won the race three times. David Pipe winners have been with An Accordion (2008) and Un Temps Pour Tout (2016 & 2017). Jonjo O'Neill winners have been with Wichita Lineman (2009), Alfie Sherrin (2012) and Holywell (2014). Lucinda Russell winners have been with Corach Rambler (2022 & 2023) and Myretown (2025). Multiple trainers have not had the best of times over the last 20 renewals in the Ultima Handicap Chase. Nigel Twiston-Davies (0-29), Venetia Williams (0-27), Paul Nicholls (0-17) and Gordon Elliott (0-14) have all failed to produce a single winner despite sending multiple runners to the race.
Here are some of the top Ultima Handicap Chase 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):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Pipe | 22-3-7 | +8.00 | +4.33 |
| Jonjo O'Neill | 19-3-5 | +13.00 | +4.88 |
| Lucinda Russell | 8-3-5 | +17.50 | +15.56 |
| Nicky Henderson | 23-1-7 | -12.00 | +5.39 |
| Alan King | 14-1-2 | -8.00 | -8.31 |
| Sue Smith | 12-1-3 | +17.00 | +10.38 |
| Neil Mulholland | 11-1-2 | -2.00 | -2.75 |
| Kim Bailey | 7-1-3 | +0.00 | -0.14 |
| A J Martin | 5-1-2 | +3.00 | +2.01 |
| Nick Williams | 5-1-3 | +1.00 | +3.01 |
Ultima Handicap Chase Jockey Statistics
There are multiple leading jockeys in the Ultima Handicap Chase over the last 20 renewals, with Richie McLernon, Brendan Powell, and Derek Fox having all won the race two times. Richie McLernon winners have been with Alfie Sherrin (2012) and Holywell (2014). Brendan Powell's winners have been with Golden Chieftain (2013) and The Conditional (2020). Derek Fox winners have been with Corach Rambler (2022 & 2023). There is one jockey who has not had the best of times in the Ultima Handicap Chase; Sam Twiston-Davies has ridden 13 runners in the race without recording any wins.
Here are some of the top Ultima Handicap Chase 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):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richie McLernon | 8-2-3 | +18.00 | +10.50 |
| Brendan Powell | 6-2-3 | +31.50 | +19.57 |
| Derek Fox | 5-2-3 | +13.00 | +11.00 |
| David Bass | 7-1-3 | +0.00 | -0.14 |
| Jeremiah McGrath | 3-1-2 | +8.00 | +6.50 |
| Ryan Mania | 2-1-1 | +27.00 | +16.50 |
| Patrick Wadge | 1-1-1 | +6.50 | +4.06 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 13-0-0 | -13.00 | -13.00 |
| Charlie Deutsch | 8-0-1 | -8.00 | -5.75 |
| Harry Cobden | 7-0-1 | -7.00 | -3.75 |
2026 Ultima Handicap Chase Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): PU, (2, 3, 6), 3, 1, 2, F, (7, 10), 2, 8, 8, 7, 2, 1, (8, PU, PU), (3, 4), 2, 10, (1, 3), 5, 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 (78%) - Off a break of 18 - 114 days
- 20 / 20 (78%) - Highest Run is not G3/Cl2
- 20 / 20 (79%) - Furthest Won 2m5½f - 4m1f
- 20 / 20 (79%) - Achieved a TS of 101+ (Last 3)
- 20 / 20 (81%) - Furthest Placed 2m7½f - 4m1f
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Not BL/BR/CH in colour
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Achieved a TS of 94+ (Season)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Ran in 3 - 8 races (1 Year)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Carried 141 - 166lbs (Debut)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Dam is not FR/GER/USA bred
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Beaten no more -35l (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Ran over 2m4½f - 3m5½f (LTO)
- 19 / 20 (79%) - Within the first 16 of the market
- 19 / 20 (79%) - No bigger than 25/1 (Career Place)
- 18 / 20 (67%) - No bigger than 28/1
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Cheltenham racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Ultima Handicap 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 Ultima Handicap Chase by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Ultima Handicap Chase Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +16.00, is when runners were IRE bred.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had a highest class run of Class 1 (G3), when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-80.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Ultima Handicap Chase is Cheltenham; there have been a total of 4 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out. The next best course, which has produced the second most winners, is Doncaster; there have been a total of 3 winners of this race who ran at Doncaster last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 423 runners, while female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 8 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Ultima Handicap Chase:
- Jeremy (2 Wins)
- Kings Theatre (2 Wins)
- Robin Des Champs (2 Wins)
- Shantou (2 Wins)
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase despite multiple attempts:
- Flemensfirth (0 Wins from 16 runners)
- Milan (0 Wins from 12 runners)
- Oscar (0 Wins from 10 runners)
- Presenting (0 Wins from 10 runners)
- Old Vic (0 Wins from 9 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Joes Edge in 2007, winning for Ferdy Murphy at odds of 50/1 under the guidance of Davy Russell. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 4 winning favourites in the race. Before placing your bet on the 2026 Ultima Handicap Chase, head over to see which runners the best racing tipsters are tipping today.
Route to the Ultima Handicap Chase
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Ultima Handicap Chase. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Myretown Kelso - 1st of 4 (5/2) | Every Horse, Every Race, At timeform.com Novices Limited Handicap Chase |
| 2024 - Chianti Classico Kempton - 2nd of 7 (9/4) | New Bet-In-Race With Coral Handicap Chase |
| 2023 - Corach Rambler Newbury - 4th of 15 (11/1) | Coral Gold Cup |
| 2022 - Corach Rambler Ascot - UR of 6 (16/5) | Bateaux London Reynoldstown Novices Chase |
| 2021 - Vintage Clouds Kelso - 3rd of 7 (19/2) | Edinburgh Gin Chase |
| 2020 - The Conditional Warwick - 4th of 13 (4/1) | Classic Chase |
| 2019 - Beware The Bear Cheltenham - 1st of 9 (7/2) | Join The Betbright Racing Club Handicap Chase |
| 2018 - Coo Star Sivola Exeter - 1st of 7 (6/4) | 188Bet Cheltenham Festival Preview 6th March Chase |
| 2017 - Un Temps Pour Tout Cheltenham - 6th of 15 (20/1) | Cleeve Hurdle |
| 2016 - Un Temps Pour Tout Cheltenham - 4th of 12 (3/1) | Timeform Novices' Handicap 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 Coral 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 Ultima Handicap 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
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 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
