Betway Handicap Chase

James Dooley avatar

Written By:

James Dooley

Updated:

The Betway Handicap Chase is a Grade 3 race for five-year-olds and upwards over three miles and a furlong.

The Betway Handicap Chase takes place on the 13th of April 2024.

It currently precedes the Grand National on the final day of the Aintree Festival in April.

Duke Of Lucca became the first dual winner of the race in 2014 and 2015. Other notable winners include Black Humour (1993), State Of Play (2006) and Don’t Push It (2009).

Find out more about the Betway Handicap Chase:

Betway Handicap Chase

Race Overview – The Betway Handicap Chase

Horses five years old and older may enter the Betway Handicap Chase, a Grade 3 National Hunt handicap chase in Great Britain.

The Betway Handicap Chase takes place on Saturday 13th April 2023.

There are 19 fences to jump during the race, which is conducted at Aintree over a distance of around 3 miles and 1 furlong (3 miles and 210 yards, or 5,020 metres).

Each year, it’s arranged for the Grand National meeting in April.

If you are looking for more horse racing tips for events held at Aintree Racecourse then check out our Aintree betting tips guide.

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

Betway Handicap Chase Previous Winners

Check out the previous winners for this race:

YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainer
2013Battle Group8Daryl JacobKevin Bishop
2014Duke of Lucca9Richard JohnsonPhilip Hobbs
2015Duke of Lucca10Richard JohnsonPhilip Hobbs
2016Maggio11James ReveleyPatrick Griffin
2017Sizing Codelco8Robbie PowerColin Tizzard
2018Thomas Patrick6Richard JohnsonTom Lacey
2019Kildisart7Daryl JacobBen Pauling
no race 2020 [a]
2021Happygolucky7David BassKim Bailey
2022Sam Brown10Aidan ColemanAnthony Honeyball
2023Midnight River8Harry SkeltonDan Skelton

Betway Handicap Chase Previous Result

Check out the latest result from this race:

Famous Betway Handicap Chase Winners

The Betway Handicap Chase is a very competitive event over the Mildmay course at Aintree.

Notable high-class winners include Black Humour (1993), Unguided Missile (1997) and Kingsmark (2001), all of which defied top weight of 12 stone.

Although it is not over the Grand National course, the race does have ties with the big race. Blue Charm (1998) returned to Aintree the following year and ran the race of his life to finish second to Bobbyjo in the National. State Of Play (2006) would become a Grand National regular, finishing in the frame in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The most famous winner of the Betway Handicap Chase was Don’t Push It in 2009. He won the Grand National in 2010 for Jonjo O’Neill and Tony McCoy. He was heavily backed on the day of the race and ended his rider’s quest to win the world’s greatest steeplechase at the fifteenth attempt.

Duke Of Lucca won this race in successive seasons for Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson. He carried 10st 7lb to victory in 2014 and followed up with three pounds less in 2015.

Key Betway Handicap Chase Trials

There is no obvious trial for the Betway Handicap Chase. Only two of the last eleven winners had been successful on their previous outing.

Course form is a factor with seven of those eleven having raced at least once at Aintree, three of them successfully.

Two of those winners ran in the Grand National the following season but neither was placed.

Three of the last eleven winners started favourite. Battle Group (2013) won at 7-2, Thomas Patrick (2018) at 3-1 and Happygolucky (2021) at 11-4.

Duke Of Lucca returned as the 9-2 second favourite in 2015 having won at 12-1 the previous season.

The longest-priced winner during recent years was Maggio at 50-1 in 2016, trained by Patrick Griffin and ridden by James Reveley.

Recent winners have been aged from six to eleven (Maggio) and are usually rated 134 or higher.

The highest-rated recent winner was Happygolucky (149) in 2021.

Betway Handicap Chase – Top Trainers and Jockeys

Jonjo O’Neill is the leading trainer in the history of the event with four winners. He won it with Radiation (2000), Carbury Cross (2002), Master Tern (2003) and Don’t Push It (2009).

The leading rider is Richard Johnson who won it twice on Duke Of Lucca and was also successful aboard From Dawn To Dusk (2010) and Thomas Patrick (2018).

Betting on the Betway Handicap Chase

The Betway Handicap Chase is always a very competitive handicap chase, attracting between 13 and 18 runners for the past eleven renewals.

More than half of the winners returned at 10-1 or higher during that period so there are plenty of each-way betting opportunities ahead of the Grand National.

Betway Handicap Chase Facts

  • The Betway Handicap Chase is a Grade 3 Handicap chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older.
  • The race is run on the New Course at Aintree over a distance of 3 miles and 1 furlong (5,131 metres), and during its running there are nineteen fences to be jumped.
  • It is a handicap chase, and it is scheduled to take place each year in early April.
  • The race is currently sponsored by the betting company Betway.

Here are all articles related to the market-leading UK Betway bookmaker:

Summary of the Betway Handicap Chase

Thank you for reading our Betway Handicap Chase guide.

We have looked at previous winners, odds, stats, tips and more, so you have all the information you need to make a decision whether you are placing a bet or simply enjoying the race.

Here are all the related articles to the Aintree Festival 2023.

If you do choose to bet, please bet responsibly.

James Dooley avatar
James Dooley
James Dooley is a UK entrepreneur who founded British Racecourses because of his love for horse racing. James owns 14 racehorses through Dooley Thoroughbreds, so he understands all aspects of horse racing, from wagering bets, and booking jockeys to sourcing the best horse racing trainers. James Dooley’s connections give him inside information on horse racing tips and best chances of a winner.