Kevin Morley assesses the key Ryanair Chase trends

Ryanair Chase

2m4½f, Cheltenham, Thursday, March 12

Key trends

• Adjusted RPR of at least 170, ten winners in last ten runnings
• Rated within 6lb of RPR top-rated, 10/10
• No more than four runs since October, 9/10
• Course winner, 8/10
• No more than 11 runs over fences, 7/10
• Top-two finish in at least one of last two starts, 8/10

Other factors

Six winners had recorded a top-four finish in a Grade 1 or 2 chase over 3m-plus (two of the other four achieved that subsequently).

The first five winners (2005-2009) had either won or been placed in the BetVictor Gold Cup or Caspian Caviar Gold Cup. However, last year's winner Frodon is the only one in the last ten years to have run in those races.