This Grade 3 race takes part on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival, and is open to horses older than 5 years. With 19 fences to be negotiated, and a distance of 4929 metres (about 3 miles and 110 yards) this challenging Handicap Chase takes place on the Old Course and is run left handed.
Previously named the National Hunt Handicap Chase, and in prior years sponsored by The Ritz Club, Astec Buzz and the Steward Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase, since 2015 the race has been sponsored by Ultima Business Solutions. Last year’s winner, Un Temps Pour Tout, with jockey Tom Scudamore and trainer David Pipe, collected £59797 winnings, also having victoriously won the race in 2016.
As this Festival Trophy Race is a handicap race, there are no stipulations to the actual weight of the horses, with varying weights being added as a handicap, to make sure that things are run as equal as possible.
Many of these horses taking part in this Handicap Chase go on to achieve a win in the Grand National. Previous horses who have achieved this accolade include Royal Tan, Rough Quest West Tip, Seagram and Team Spirit, after taking part in this most thrilling of events at the Cheltenham Festival.
