The second race on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival is the Jack Richards Novice Handicap Chase. It was previously known as the Turners Novices’ Chase and was won by Grey Dawning in 2024.
There will be an entirely new feel to the race in 2025, as it has been reverted to a handicap. Therefore, it will lose its Grade One status, and should be a fascinating contest for novice chasers over the two miles and four trip.
Horses aged either six or seven boast an excellent record in the Jack Richards Novice Handicap Chase, winning all but one of the last 12 editions.
That trend continues in 2024 when Grey Dawning became the fourth straight winner of the race to be aged seven. The oldest winner of the race since 2013 was Samcro for the Gordon Elliott yard when aged eight in 2020.
Favourites in the race have a poor record since 2013, with only five of the last 12 being the top choice in the betting.
Although, Grey Dawning did win the Turners Novices’ Chase as the joint-favourite at 5/2 last year. However, each of the last ten have been found in the top three of the betting, with the second favourite winning the contest in three of the last five races.
Prior experience around Cheltenham is regarded as essential based on the trends since 2013. All 12 winners over that period had made at least one previous start at the home of jump racing. Meanwhile, of those previous winners, eight had previous winning experience at Cheltenham.
Ten of the last 12 victors have also won on their last start before heading to the Festival, but that could be an interesting trend to follow as it is now a handicap.
Chasing experience is essential to consider when assessing the runners in the race.
Ten of the winners of the race since 2013 have made at least two starts over fences, while all but one had won on at least two attempts over the biggest obstacles. It is worth examining that ten of the victors since 2013 had also tasted victory in Grade One or Grade two company.
The British trainers have sported a better recent record in handicaps at the Cheltenham Festival.
Therefore, it should be noted that the Brits have won the two miles four novice chase in each of the last two years, and three of the last four. Paul Nicholls trained Stage Star to success in 2023, while Dan Skelton won for Grey Dawning in 2024.
Springwell Bay has a lot of Grade One entries for the Festival this year, but the Jonjo & AJ O’Neill trained runner looks primed for the Jack Richards Novice Handicap Chase based on his efforts this year.
He has already won over fences on two occasions, including when beating Marble Sands by nine lengths over course and distance on New Year’s Day. Doesn’t look like he is crying out for three miles after being well beaten at Cheltenham by Hyland in November, while two miles could also be on the sharper side.
If landing here, he could be very difficult to beat if jumping with the same fluency that he enjoyed in January.
