St James's Place Festival Hunter Chase
| Class | Ungraded |
|---|---|
| Location | Cheltenham Racecourse Cheltenham, England |
| Inaugurated | 1904 |
| Race type | Hunter chase |
| Sponsor | St. James's Place plc |
| Website | Cheltenham |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 3m 2f 70y (5,294 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 10 lb (5yo); 12 st 0 lb (6yo+) Allowances 7 lb for mares |
| Purse | £50,000 (2023) 1st: £24,445 |
| 2025 | ||
| Royal blue, white chevron, white and royal blue chevrons on sleeves, quartered cap | Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap | White, emerald green chevrons, red cap |
| Wonderwall | Its On The Line | Willitgoahead |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ||
| Gold, maroon hoops, gold sleeves | Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap | Light blue, maroon diamond, white sleeves, light blue cap, maroon diamond |
| Sine Nomine | Its On The Line | Time Leader |
| 2023 | ||
| Pink, black hoop, hooped sleeves, black cap | Black, red epaulets, chevrons on sleeves, black cap, red star | Violet and white check, white cap |
| Premier Magic | Its On The Line | Shantou Flyer |
| 2022 | ||
| Yellow, black horse, yellow sleeves, black seams, yellow cap, black tassel | Purple, yellow stars, red and yellow striped sleeves, red cap, black star | Grey, orange star, dark blue sleeves, dark blue cap, orange star |
| Billaway | Winged Leader | Mighty Stowaway |
| 2021 | ||
| Red, dark blue hoops and armlets, quartered cap | Yellow, black horse, yellow sleeves, black seams, yellow cap, black tassel | Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap |
| Porlock Bay | Billaway | Staker Wallace |
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| 1990-1988 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | ||
| White, red stripe and sleeves, black and white hooped cap | Red, royal blue and white halved sleeves, red and white quartered cap | Light blue, black sash, armlets and hoop on cap |
| Call Collect | Old Nick | West Tip |
| 1989 | ||
| Yellow, black spots, black sleeves, yellow spots | Yellow, white hoop, dark blue cap | White, red stripe and sleeves, black and white hooped cap |
| Three Counties | Kelly's Honor | Call Collect |
| 1988 | ||
| Black, pink sleeves, quartered cap | Yellow, black spots, black sleeves, yellow spots | Emerald Green, Red sash, Yellow sleeves and cap |
| Certain Light | Three Counties | Acarine |
The St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase is a National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain for amateur riders which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs (3 miles 2 furlongs and 70 yards, or 5,294 metres), and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped. It is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The event is contested over the same course and distance as the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and it is sometimes referred to as the "amateur Gold Cup". It was established in 1904, and the inaugural running was won by Palmy Boy. It was backed by the insurance company Sun Alliance and London in 1972 and 1973, and for the following five years it was run without a sponsor. The art auctioneers Christie's supported the race from 1979 to 2012 and from 2013 to 2015 it was sponsored by the Country Gentleman's Association.[1] Since 2016 it has been sponsored by St. James's Place plc. The race's full title is the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase. Until 2020 the race was known as the St James's Place Foxhunters' Chase - the word "fox" was removed from the title prior to the 2021 running.
Qualification for entry in the Festival Hunter Chase is based on a horse's previous performances in certain types of race within a specific period. To be eligible a horse must have finished first or second twice in hunter chases, or have won two open point-to-point races, or have won one open point-to-point race and finished first or second in a hunter chase.
Only professional jockeys competed in the 2021 running as amateur riders were excluded from the Cheltenham Festival due to restrictions on grassroots sport for the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[2]
Records
[edit | edit source]Most successful horse since 1946 (2 wins):
- The Callant – 1956, 1957
- Whinstone Hill – 1958, 1960
- College Master – 1961, 1962
- Double Silk – 1993, 1994
- Fantus – 1995, 1997
- Earthmover – 1998, 2004
- Salsify – 2012, 2013
- On The Fringe – 2015, 2016
- Pacha du Polder – 2017, 2018
Leading jockey since 1946 (3 wins):
- Colman Sweeney – Sleeping Night (2005), Salsify (2012, 2013),
Leading trainer since 1946 (4 wins):
- Richard Barber – Rushing Wild (1992), Fantus (1995, 1997), Earthmover (1998)
- Paul Nicholls – Earthmover (2004), Sleeping Night (2005), Pacha du Polder (2017, 2018)
Winners since 1946
[edit | edit source]- All amateur jockeys except in 2021.
- ^ a b The race was abandoned in 1949 due to frost, and in 1955 due to snow
- ^ The 2001 running was cancelled because of a foot-and-mouth crisis
See also
[edit | edit source]- Horse racing in Great Britain
- List of British National Hunt races
- Recurring sporting events established in 1904 – this race is included under the title Foxhunter Chase.
References
[edit | edit source]- Racing Post:
- pedigreequery.com – Foxhunter Chase – Cheltenham.
- pointtopoint.co.uk – Point-to-Point and Hunter Chase Race Planner 2009/10.
- racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (28 February 2008).
- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]- Race Recordings (1980, 1983-2004) youtube.com