The penultimate race of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival is the Hunters’ Chase. Horses aged five will compete over three miles and two furlongs on the New Course in the ungraded contest.
There have been some big price winners of the race in recent years, including 66/1 shot Premier Magic in 2023. Below, you can find the stats and trends to consider when finding a selection for the race in 2025.
Older horses have an excellent record in the Hunters’ Chase, with all but one of the last ten being aged ten or older. The only exception to this rule came last year when eight-year-old Sine Nomine won the Fiona Needham yard.
Horses aged ten have won four of the last five editions, while last year’s winner was the youngest since Salsify in 2013.
The market is very rarely correct when it comes to the Hunters’ Chase, as there has only been one winning favourite since 2020.
Meanwhile, there have only been four winning favourites in the race since 2013. Huge price winners include Premier Magic and It Came To Pass, who both won at odds of 66/1.
Cheltenham experience is essential when considering the runners in the Hunters’ Chase field. Nine of the last 12 have previously run at the track before winning the Festival contest.
However, winning experience isn’t necessarily important, with just three of the victors since 2013 having won at the home of jump racing before landing the Hunters’ Chase.
Assured stamina reserves are essential when considering a leading contender for the Hunters’ Chase.
That is reflected in the stats, with nine of the last 12 winners having run over three miles and two before competing at Cheltenham. Meanwhile, five of the nine winners that had run over the trip also had winning experience before lining up at Cheltenham.
Previous runs over fences are a necessity when assessing the Hunters’ Chase contenders. All but two of the last 12 winners had run over fences on at least five occasions, while eleven of the victors since 2013 had recorded at least one previous win over the biggest obstacles.
The stats also indicate that all but two of the winners over the same period had run over fences on at least two occasions in the season in which they won the Hunters’ Chase.
