Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase

The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase is a Premier Handicap steeplechase that is held on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. The race is run on the Old Course of Cheltenham Racecourse over a distance of 3 miles and 1 furlong. It is open to horses aged five years and older. Horses that have been victorious in this race have frequently gone on to perform well in the Grand National.

Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase Overview

The Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase is a handicap for horses aged five years or older and is normally the race that follows the Arkle Challenge Trophy on day one of the Cheltenham Festival. Run over three miles and one furlong of the old course with twenty fences to be navigated.

The winning first-place prize money is likely to be in the region of £70,000. Winners of the race often take part in the Grand National, though not always in the same year.

Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase Betting Trends and Statistics

• A race in which it pays to watch out for any horse wearing headgear of sorts with 10 of the past 15 winners wearing some form with last year’s winner Chianti Classico wearing a tongue tie.
• Novices have a good record in the race and have struck in 5 of the past 11 runnings.
• The market is a very good guide with 10 of the past 11 runnings going to a horse returning a SP of 11-1 or shorter although only 2 of those were favourites in Corach Rambler (2023) and Coo Star Sivola (2018).
• David Pipe is a trainer to note having won the race three times between 2008 and 2017 as well as finishing runner 2021 from a tally of just 16 runners in that period. Jonjo O’Neill has also won the race three times with Lucinda Russell, Nicky Henderson and Alan King all securing a brace of winners this century.
• In contrast, Irish runners have a poor record in the race with last year’s eight losers bringing the Irish losses to 0-46 over the past eighteen years.
• Horses to achieve victory in both this and the Grand National include Royal Tan, Team Spirit, West Tip, Seagram, Rough Quest and 2023 winner Corach Rambler who triumphed at Aintree Racecourse a month later.

Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase History

The race was originally known as the National Hunt Handicap Chase but the title has included the name of a sponsor from the early 1980’s. Some of the sponsors include Ritz Club, William Hill and Stewart Family Spinal Research. Since 2015, the race has been sponsored by Ultima Business Solutions.

Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase Winners