The St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase, formerly known as the Foxhunters Chase, is run as part of the Cheltenham Festival.Â
The St James’s Place Festival Hunters Chase is restricted to amateur riders and takes place on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival. It was first run in 1904 and became known as the Amateur Gold Cup.
There have been eight dual winners of the race but no horse has yet managed to win it three times. The most recent dual winners were Salsify (2012, 2013), On The Fringe (2015, 2016) and Pacha du Polder (2017, 2018).
Find out more about the St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase:
The St James’s Place Festival Hunters’ Chase is a steeplechase for amateur riders in Great Britain that is open to horses aged five and up. It will take place every year in March at the Cheltenham Festival.
It is run over a distance of 3 miles and 2 furlongs on the New Course at Cheltenham, with twenty-two obstacles to be jumped.

St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase 2023 Odds
Listed below are the St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase 2023 odds:
St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase Previous Winners
Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
1946
Iloilo
9
Harry Freeman-Jackson
Harry Freeman-Jackson
1947
Lucky Purchase
9
John Nichols
Sidney Banks
1948
State Control
8
Harry Llewellyn
Harry Llewellyn
1949
no race 1949 [a]
1950
Greenwood
13
John Stuart-Evans
J. T. Evans
1951
Halloween
6
Dickie Smalley
Bill Wightman
1952
Parasol II
7
Ivor Kerwood
A. Walton
1953
Dunboy II (DH)
9
Charlie Scott
P. Bruce
1953
Merry (DH)
13
Gay Kindersley
Alec Kerr
1954
Happymint
9
Danny Moralee
Stewart Wight
1955
no race 1955 [a]
1956
The Callant
8
John Scott-Aiton
Stewart Wight
1957
The Callant
9
John Scott-Aiton
Stewart Wight
1958
Whinstone Hill
9
Bobby Brewis
Bobby Brewis
1959
Some Baby
10
John Thorne
Tim Rootes
1960
Whinstone Hill
11
Bobby Brewis
Bobby Brewis
1961
College Master
11
Laurie Morgan
Laurie Morgan
1962
College Master
12
Laurie Morgan
Laurie Morgan
1963
Grand Morn II
9
R. Bloomfield
G. Shepheard
1964
Freddie
7
Alan Mactaggart
Reg Tweedie
1965
Woodside Terrace
12
Dick Woodhouse
Dick Woodhouse
1966
Straight Lady
10
Richard Shepherd
William Shepherd
1967
Mulbarton
11
Nick Gaselee
Ian Pattullo
1968
Bright Beach
8
Charlie Macmillan
Geordie Dun
1969
Queens Guide
8
G. Wade
Willie Wade
1970
Highworth
11
Dick Woodhouse
Dick Woodhouse
1971
Hope Again
9
Richard Smith
Denis Windell
1972
Credit Call
8
Chris Collins
Arthur Stephenson
1973
Bullocks Horn
10
Lord Oaksey
Bob Turnell
1974
Corrie Burn
8
Ian Williams
George Fairbairn
1975
Real Rascal
12
George Hyatt
Barbara Surman
1976
False Note
10
Bryan Smart
John Horton
1977
Long Lane
9
Richard Shepherd
Richard Shepherd
1978
Timmie's Battle
7
Peter Greenall
Arthur Stephenson
1979
Spartan Missile
7
John Thorne
John Thorne
1980
Rolls Rambler
9
Oliver Sherwood
Fred Winter
1981
Grittar
8
Dick Saunders
Frank Gilman
1982
The Drunken Duck
9
Brod Munro-Wilson
Brod Munro-Wilson
1983
Eliogarty
8
Caroline Beasley
Barry Kelly
1984
Venture to Cognac
11
Oliver Sherwood
Fred Winter
1985
Elmboy
7
Alan Hill
Norman Mawle
1986
Attitude Adjuster
6
Ted Walsh
Mouse Morris
1987
Observe
11
Charlie Brooks
Fred Winter
1988
Certain Light
10
Paul Hacking
Jean Campbell
1989
Three Counties
12
Katie Rimell
Mercy Rimell
1990
Call Collect
9
Ray Martin
John Parkes
1991
Lovely Citizen
8
Willie O'Sullivan
Eugene M. O'Sullivan
1992
Rushing Wild
7
Justin Farthing
Richard Barber
1993
Double Silk
9
Ron Treloggen
Reg Wilkins
1994
Double Silk
10
Ron Treloggen
Reg Wilkins
1995
Fantus
8
Polly Curling
Richard Barber
1996
Elegant Lord
8
Enda Bolger
Enda Bolger
1997
Fantus
10
Tim Mitchell
Richard Barber
1998
Earthmover
7
Joe Tizzard
Richard Barber
1999
Castle Mane
7
Ben Pollock
Caroline Bailey
2000
Cavalero
11
Alex Charles-Jones
John Manners
2001
no race 2001 [b]
2002
Last Option
10
Fiona Needham
Robin Tate
2003
Kingscliff
6
Richard Young
Sally Alner
2004
Earthmover
13
Rilly Goschen
Paul Nicholls
2005
Sleeping Night
9
Colman Sweeney
Paul Nicholls
2006
Whyso Mayo
9
Damien Murphy
Raymond Hurley
2007
Drombeag
9
J. T. McNamara
Jonjo O'Neill
2008
Amicelli
9
Oliver Greenall
Cherry Coward
2009
Cappa Bleu
7
Richard Burton
Sheila Crow
2010
Baby Run
10
Sam Twiston-Davies
Nigel Twiston-Davies
2011
Zemsky
8
Derek O'Connor
Ian Ferguson
2012
Salsify
7
Colman Sweeney
Roger Sweeney
2013
Salsify
8
Colman Sweeney
Roger Sweeney
2014
Tammys Hill
9
James Smyth
Liam Lennon
2015
On The Fringe
10
Nina Carberry
Enda Bolger
2016
On The Fringe
11
Nina Carberry
Enda Bolger
2017
Pacha Du Polder
10
Bryony Frost
Paul Nicholls
2018
Pacha Du Polder
11
Harriet Tucker
Paul Nicholls
2019
Hazel Hill
11
Alex Edwards
Philip Rowley
2020
It Came to Pass
10
Maxine O'Sullivan
Eugene O'Sullivan
2021
Porlock Bay
10
Lorcan Williams
Will Biddick
2022
Billaway
10
Patrick Mullins
Willie Mullins
2023
Premier Magic
10
Bradley Gibbs
Bradley Gibbs
Famous Festival Hunter Chase Winners
The most famous winner of the Festival Hunter Chase was Grittar in 1981, owned and trained by Frank Gilman and ridden by Dick Saunders. He won the 1982 Grand National as the 7-1 favourite with his rider, at 48, becoming the oldest winning jockey in the history of the great race. Saunders retired after the race with Grittar finishing fifth in the 1983 National and tenth in 1984.
The Festival Hunter Chase almost produced a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in Rushing Wild (1992). He won by 25 lengths but fell at the third last when attempting to follow up in the Aintree Foxhunter Chase. He was transferred to Martin Pipe’s stable, winning the Anthony Mildmay, Peter Cazalet Memorial Chase and finishing second to Jodami in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Tragically he suffered a fatal injury when contesting the Irish Grand National in 1993.
Double Silk (1993, 1994) and Kingscliff (2003) were other notable Festival Hunter Chase winners. Double Silk started 6-1 for the 1994 Grand National but fell at the thirteenth after jumping boldly in front. He was fifth in 1995 when attempting a record third victory in this race. Kingscliff gained his biggest win in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock when beating Beef Or Salmon in 2005.
Salsify (2012, 2013) was a very fortunate winner on the second occasion. He was four lengths down and under pressure behind Oscar Delta when that horse jinked left and unseated his rider just 150 yards short of the line. Salsify missed his hat-trick bid through injury, although he did take part in the race in 2015 (pulled up) and 2017 (tenth).
Nina Carberry won aboard On The Fringe in successive seasons in 2015 and 2016. Pacha Du Polder then won for the following two seasons, ridden by Bryony Frost in 2017 and Harriet Tucker in 2018. The horse had finished strongly in fifth place in 2016 when ridden by Olympic winning cyclist Victoria Pendleton.
Key Festival Hunter Chase Trials
The nature of the qualifying conditions for this race means there are no easily identifiable key trials.
Six of the last twelve winners had won on their previous outing under rules and all but three of them had reached the frame.
Six of the last twelve winners returned to run in the race again the following season. Salsify (2012), On The Fringe (2015) and Pacha Du Polder (2017) all completed back-to-back victories.
Three of the twelve winners ran in the Aintree Foxhunter Chase with On The Fringe winning in 2015 and 2016.
Three had their next race at Fairyhouse but all were beaten.
Festival Hunter Chase Betting Trends
There have been four winning favourites in the Festival Hunter Chase in the past twelve seasons; Salsify (2013) 2-1, On The Fringe (2016) 13-8, Hazel Hill (2019) 7-2 and Billaway (2022) 13-8. There have also been plenty of shock results.
The biggest of all was 66-1 chance It Came To Pass (2020) who defeated favourite Billaway. Zemsky (2011) was a 33-1 chance and Pacha Du Polder (2017, 2018) returned at 16-1 and 25-1 for his two victories. Porlock Bay (2021) was also a 16-1 winner.
Ten of the twelve winners were rated 134 or higher. The highest officially rated winner was On The Fringe (2016) on 147. The last eight winners have all been seasoned campaigners aged ten or eleven.
Festival Hunter Chase – Top Trainers and Jockeys
Paul Nicholls and Richard Barber share the leading training honours here with four apiece. Barber won with Rushing Wild (1992), Fantus (1995, 1997) and Earthmover (1998). Nicholls has won with Earthmover (2004), Sleeping Night (2005) and Pacha Du Polder (2017, 2018).
The leading jockey (amateur jockeys) in the history of the race is Colman Sweeney who rode Sleeping Night and was twice successful aboard Salsify (2012, 2013).
Betting on the Festival Hunter Chase
There is a mixed record for favourites in the Festival Hunter Chase. Billaway made it third-time-lucky in 2022 after finishing runner-up in the past two seasons. It is a race which has produced several dual winners with the same horses often returning year after year.
The St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase at the Cheltenham Festival has quite a lively ante-post market.
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Popular Questions
What distance is the St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase?
The St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase has a total distance of 3 miles, 2 furlongs and 70 yards.
What time does the St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase start
St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase starts at 3:40pm.
Which day of the festival does the St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase take place?
The St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase takes place on day 4 of the Cheltenham Festival.
Summary of the St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase
The St Jame’s Festival Hunter Chase is run directly after the Gold Cup on the Friday of Cheltenham.
Known as the Ameature Gold Cup and Foxhunters chase, it has produced some memorable races over the years.
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