St James’s Place Hunters Chase

The St James’s Place Hunters Chase is the sixth race on the fourth day of racing at the Cheltenham Festival. It is a National Hunt steeplechase race that is open for amateur riders only. It was first established back 1905. Qualification for the race is based on performances by the horses over a set period of time. Professional jockeys participated in the race for the only time in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic when amateur riders were not allowed to ride.

St James’s Place Hunters Chase Overview

The St James’s Place Hunters’ Chase is a chase for amateur riders open to horses aged five years and older. It is run over a distance of 3 miles 2 furlongs and 70 yards of the new course with twenty-two fences to be jumped.

The winner is likely to take home prize money of around £24,000. The race is run on the final day of the Festival on the Friday as the fifth race, following the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

St James’s Place Hunters Chase Betting Trends and Statistics

• 29 of the past 36 winners started their careers in either point-to-points or hunter chases.
• Nine horses have won this race twice (6 of them in consecutive years).
• Ireland has a good record having won 8 of the last 14 renewals.7 of the past 15 winners had finished in the first five the previous year.
• The past ten winners have been aged 10 (6 times), 11 (three times) and 8 (Sine Nomine last year).
• Paul Nicholls has won the race four times making him the most successful trainer this century with Irish handler Enda Bolger taking three renewals all owned by J P McManus.
• 12 of the 24 winners this century started at single-figure odds with four favourites winning in the last 11 years.
• There have been big-priced winners as well this last decade with two 66/1 chances in It Came To Pass and Premier Magic scoring.
• Qualification for entry into the race is based on a horse’s previous performances in certain types of races within a specific period. To be eligible a horse must have finished first or second twice in hunter chase races, or have won two open point-to-point races, or won one open point-to-point race and finished first or second in a hunter chase.

St James’s Place Hunters Chase History

Contested over the same course and distance as the Cheltenham Gold Cup (which precedes the race) it is sometimes referred to as the ‘amateurs Gold Cup’.

First run in 1904 it has had various sponsors over the years including Sun Alliance, Christie’s, the Country Gentleman’s Association and since 2016 by its current sponsor St James Place plc.

Until 2020 the race was known as the St James’s Place Foxhunters’ Chase with the word ‘fox’ being removed from the title before the 2021 running.

St James’s Place Hunters Chase Winners