Hunter Chase Tips

Following on from the Gold Cup on Day 4 at the Cheltenham Festival is the historic Foxhunter Chase, which is now known as the Hunter Chase.

Run over the same trip at the Gold Cup, the race provides amateur jockeys and point-to-point trainers the chance to score a Festival win.

We provide ante-post tips covering the Hunter Chase throughout the season and our final Foxhunter Chase tips can be found here.

Often referred to as the "Amateur Gold Cup", the Foxhunter Chase actually predates the Gold Cup itself, having first been run in 1904.

The race is only open to amateur jockeys, and point-to-point trainers often throw their best horses into the mix.

Only horses who've previously finished first or second in a recognised Hunter Chase, or have won two open point-to-point contests will be allowed to enter.

One of the most famous Foxhunter Chase winners ever was Halloween. After winning at Cheltenham in 1951, Halloween went on to win the Group One King George VI Chase at Kempton twice.

Nine horses have managed to win the Foxhunter Chase twice. The most recent back-to-back winner was Pacha Du Polder, who scored in 2017 and '19.

Those were the third and fourth victories for Paul Nicholls, making him the joint winning-most trainer in the Foxhunter Chase, alongside Richard Barber.

In 2020, the father-daughter team of Eugene and Maxine O'Sullivan claimed a surprise victory with It Came To Pass, who went off at a staggering 66/1.

For 2021, the professional jockeys will take over with amateurs not permitted to ride at the Cheltenham Festival due to coronavirus restrictions.