National Hunt Chase
17:30 Cheltenham Festival
2025-03-11
The Maureen Mullins National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Chase, known as the National Hunt Chase, is a novice chase over 3m6f at the Cheltenham Festival. Up until 2019 it was run over 4m but the distance was reduced due to welfare concerns after 2020's race, in which only four of the 18 runners completed. It is run as the final race on the first day of the festival. The 2025 edition of the National Hunt Chase will no longer be restricted to amateur jockeys and a handicap for horses with a rating of up to 145 has been introduced.
No runners
NATIONAL HUNT CHASE PREVIOUS WINNERS
| Year | Horse | Previous Form | Age | Price | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2024 | Corbetts Cross | R-312F | 7 | 15-8 | Emmet Mullins | Derek O’Connor |
| 2023 | Gaillard Du Mesnil | 213 | 7 | 10-11 | Willie Mullins | Patrick Mullins |
| 2022 | Stattler | 343-11 | 7 | 2-1 | Willie Mullins | Patrick Mullins |
| 2021 | Galvin | 2-1111 | 7 | 7-2 | I R Ferguson | Jack Kennedy |
| 2020 | Ravenhill | 2152-F | 10 | 12-1 | Gordon Elliott | Jamie Codd |
| 2019 | Le Brueil | 12324 | 7 | 14-1 | Ben Pauling | Jamie Codd |
| 2018 | Rathvinden | 112BU | 10 | 9-2 | Willie Mullins | Patrick Mullins |
| 2017 | Tiger Roll | 22133 | 7 | 16-1 | Gordon Elliott | Lisa O’Neill |
| 2016 | Minella Rocco | 1-3P62 | 6 | 8-1 | Jonjo O’Neill | Derek O’Connor |
| 2015 | Cause Of Causes | 220-75 | 7 | 8-1 | Gordon Elliott | Jamie Codd |
NATIONAL HUNT CHASE KEY TRENDS AND STATS
Key trends
- Adjusted RPR of at least 154, 10/10
- Top-two finish in a chase over at least 3m, 9/10
- Hurdles RPR of at least 134, 9/10
- Rated within 9lb of RPR top-rated, 9/10
- Ran at least four times over fences, 9/10
- Top-three finish on last completed start, 8/10
- Aged six to eight, 7/10
- Had won over at least 3m (hurdles or chases), 7/10
Other factors
- The last two winners to have had less than four chase runs were both trained by Willie Mullins (Back In Focus in 2013 and Stattler in 2022).z
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WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - NATIONAL HUNT CHASE 2023
GAILLARD DU MESNIL had seemed the likely winner of this for the best part of 12 months, having finished third in last season’s Brown Advisory as a maiden. Placed in an Irish National subsequently, and a Grade 1 winner this season, he made the odd uncharacteristic mistake and, like the rest, looked to have been caught out when Mahler Mission bounded clear racing down the hill. However, when that one departed it left Chemical Energy idling in front and he was able to swoop past approaching the line.