Cross Country Chase Stats & Trends 2025

Date: Wednesday 12th March

Time: 3:20pm

The most unique race to be run at the Cheltenham Festival in 2025 comes in the form of the Cross Country Chase. It is the only race of the Festival to be staged on the cross-country course, and it reverts back to a handicap for the first time since 2015 this year.

That will add a more unpredictable feel to the race this year, as high-quality runners such as Delta Work and Coko Beach will have the odds stacked against them. But, which trends should be considered before making a Cross Country Chase selection in 2025?

The Cross Country Chase has been targeted by horses that have previously won in Grade One company, which means that it is unsurprising that the trends indicate that ten of the last eleven winners have been aged eight or older.

The only exception to the rule was Easysland in 2020 when denying Tiger Roll aged six. Delta Work became the third ten-year-old winner since 2013 when winning the race in 2023.

The market has been helpful in guiding punters in the right direction since 2013, with nine of the last eleven winners being found in the top three in the betting. It has also been a race in which favourites have a solid record, with three winning market leaders claiming success since 2019.

However, Easysland and Tiger Roll won the respective races in 2020 and 2021, despite starting as the second favourite. The biggest-priced winner since 2013 was 16/1 shot Rivage D’Or in 2015.

Winners last time out haven’t enjoyed the best record in the Cross Country Chase, with only three of the last eleven winners having won on their last start before heading to Cheltenham. However, it could be worth noting that eight winners since 2013 have been seen on track within the last 46 days.

The Cross Country Handicap Chase held at Cheltenham before the festival is worth considering, with three runners in the race having won in March. However, the winner of the race hasn’t followed up at the Festival in three efforts.

Previous Cheltenham form is a big plus, with ten of the last eleven winners having made at least one previous start at the track. Meanwhile, nine of the victors since 2013 have recorded at least one previous success at the track.

That bodes well for a lot of the market leaders at this stage, with Stumptown and Delta Work among the contenders with previous winning experience at Cheltenham.

The ratings will be vitally important to consider when making selections on the Cross Country Chase. Nine of the last eleven winners have been rated 142 or higher, which includes each of the previous eight victors.

The lowest-rated winner of the Cross Country Chase since 2013 was Rivage D’Or off 134 in 2014. Tiger Roll’s 2021 success off 166 makes him the highest-rated winner of the race.