Ascot Chase

The Ascot Chase is a Grade 1 race over two miles and five furlongs in February. It is regarded as an important trial for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

Notable past winners include One Man (1998), Kauto Star (2008), Cue Card (2013, 2017) and Silviniaco Conti (2016). Cyrname won this race by 17 lengths in 2019 to become the highest-rated steeplechaser in training at that time.

This race is one of the main events to take place in February.

Find out more about the Ascot Chase:

Race Overview – The Ascot Chase

Horses five years old or older may enter the Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase; the Ascot Chase.

There are seventeen jumps that must be jumped throughout the race, which is raced at Ascot over a distance of approximately 2 miles and 5 furlongs (2 miles, 5 furlongs, and 85 yards, or 4,302 metres).

If you are looking for more racing tips for events taking place at Ascot Racecourse then check out our Ascot racing tips page.

For all Ascot races, our finest racing tipsters give free horse racing tips!

Famous Ascot Chase Winners

The Ascot Chase was first run as the Comet Chase in 1995 with victory going to Martha’s Son, trained by Tim Forster and ridden by Rodney Farrant.

One Man won this race for Gordon Richards in 1998 having previous won the King George VI Chase in 1995 and 1996. The popular grey dropped back to two miles to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase following his Ascot Chase victory.

1999 winner Teeton Mill had also won the King George in 1998. He was made 7-2 second favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after winning here but was pulled up after dislodging a tendon in his hock. He was retired from racing and served as a hack for trainer Venetia Williams until he passed away in 2014.

Tiutchev became the first of four horses to win the race twice in 2001 and 2003.

Monet’s Garden matched his achievement with victories in 2007 and 2010.

Ryanair Chase winner Riverside Theatre recorded back-to-back victories in 2011 and 2012 with Cue Card being the most recent dual winner of the race in 2013 and 2017.

Kauto Star added his name to the Ascot Chase roll of honour for Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh in 2008. His victory followed the second of his record five King George VI Chase victories.

Kauto Star also won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2007 and 2009, becoming the first horse to reclaim his title after being beaten in the race.

Cyrname was a brilliant winner of this race in 2019 for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden. He beat 2018 winner Waiting Patiently by 17 lengths and was given an official rating of 178, making him the highest-rated chaser in training. His reputation was further enhanced when he defeated Altior in the 1965 Chase at Ascot in November 2019, ended that horse’s phenomenal 19-race winning streak over fences.

Key Ascot Chase Trials

The King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day has been a good guide for the Ascot Chase in the past. Four of the last twelve winners had run in the King George on their previous start. Cue Card had run at Kempton prior to both of his Ascot victories in 2013 and 2017. Silviniaco Conti was pulled up at Kempton before bouncing back to his best to win this race in 2016.

Riverside Theatre had finished runner-up in the King George before winning the Ascot Chase in 2011. He did not race again until repeating his Ascot victory 12 months’ later.

The Ascot Chase usually has an impact on the Ryanair Chase betting. Four of the last twelve winners ran in the Ryanair at Cheltenham. Riverside Theatre (2012) and Cue Card (2013) won both races in the same season and Voy Por Ustedes was runner-up at Cheltenham after winning here in 2009.

Kauto Star (2008) and Cue Card (2017) both ran in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. 2022 winner Fakir D’Oudairies by-passed Cheltenham to wait for Liverpool where he won the Melling Chase.

Ascot Chase Betting Trends

Favourites have an exceptional record in this race, winning eight of the last twelve renewals. Captain Chris (2014) and Cue Card (2017) were both odds-on at 8-11 and 4-9 respectively. All twelve winners featured in the first three in the betting with a maximum field of eight runners during the same period.

The last shock result in the Ascot Chase was back in 2005 when It Takes Time won at 14-1 when the race was staged at Lingfield during Ascot’s redevelopment.

Seven of the last twelve winners had won on their most recent start. Eleven of them had raced within the last two months and all but two had already been successful at Grade 1 or Grade 2 level.

An official rating of 162 or higher is usually required to win this race. Cue Card (170) was the highest-rated recent winner in 2017.

There is no clear advantage for any age group in the Ascot Chase.

Strong Promise was the youngest winner at the age of six in 1997 while Monet’s Garden won as a twelve-year-old in 2010.

It Takes Time (2005) and Cue Card (2017) both won the race at the age of eleven.

Ascot Chase – Top Trainers and Jockeys

Paul Nicholls and Martin Pipe share the honours as leading trainer in the Ascot Chase with four winners apiece.

Nicholls won with Rockforce (2000), Kauto Star (2008), Silviniaco Conti (2016) and Cyrname (2019).

Pipe’s victories came with Tresor de Mai (2002), Tiutchev (2003), Our Vic (2006) and It Takes Time (2005).

Sound Man was the first Irish-trained winner in 1996 and it was not until Fakir D’Oudairies in 2022 that the Irish claimed a second success.

Barry Geraghty is the leading rider in the Ascot Chase with three winners in successive seasons; Monet’s Garden (2010), Riverside Theatre (2011, 2012). The next ten renewals were all won by different jockeys.

Betting on the Ascot Chase

The Ascot Chase is usually won by a proven Grade 1 performer with their sights set on one of the major prizes at Cheltenham.

Favourites have a great record in this event and the form can be followed with confidence.

Ascot Chase 2024 Result

Check out the latest result from this race:

Summary of the Ascot Chase

Thank you for reading our Ascot Chase guide.

We have looked at the race history, betting, tips, previous winners and more, so you have all the information you need if placing a bet or watching the race.

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