The Ultima Handicap Chase is the first handicap of the week at the Festival and it always attracts a large, competitive field.
Originally the National Hunt Handicap Chase, it was known as the Ritz Club from 1981 to 1996 and has had various sponsors since, including Ultima Business Solutions from 2015.
It often ends up being a real test of stamina due to a strong end to end gallop and thus it is seen as a good Grand National trial.
Horses to have won both races include West Tip, Seagram and Rough Quest.
Noble Yeats finished 9th in the Ultima in 2022 before going on to win the National the following month.
ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE TRENDS
As with many Festival races, previous course form is key: 3 of the last 4 winners (Corach Rambler, Beware The Bear & The Conditional) won at Cheltenham earlier that season.
Novices and second season chasers have tended to do well, not least because they may be less exposed from a handicapping perspective than more experienced rivals.
Un Temps Pour Tout in 2017 is the only horse to carry top weight to victory in this race since Unguided Missile in 1998.
He was also the first back-to-back winner since Scot Lane in 1983, with Sentina (1957/58) the only other dual winner.
Meanwhile, you have to go back to 2006 for the last Irish-trained winner, when Dun Doire won for Tony Martin.
Coo Star Sivola (2018) and Wichita Lineman (2009) are the only winning favourites this century, both at 5/1.
In fact, only three favourites have won this race since 1977 (also Antonin in 1994 at 4/1).
But 6 of the last 9 winners have returned at between 8/1 and 11/1.
LAST 5 WINNERS’ DATA
RECENT WINNERS
Corach Rambler 2023
Corach Rambler - Ultima Handicap Chase 2023#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/qedBjrObmp
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) June 29, 2023
Slowly away and still well adrift three out, Corach Rambler came with a late surge to win the Ultima Handicap Chase in 2022.
It was a first Cheltenham Festival winner for jockey Derek Fox and a second for trainer Lucinda Russell:
Corach Rambler - Ultima Handicap Chase 2022#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/i9Amih5Ims
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) January 25, 2023
Vintage Clouds won the Ultima Chase on his fifth attempt at the race in 2021.
The eleven-year-old, who finshed second in 2019, sealed the deal with a fantastic leap at the last for jockey Ryan Mania:
Vintage Clouds - Ultima Handicap Chase 2021#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/QhFgWZdfwv
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) February 2, 2023
The Conditional gave David Bridgwater his first Festival winner as a trainer in 2020, despite a dreadful blunder two out.
As a jockey he rode five Festival winners, the last of which was in this race in 1997.
It was a third Festival winner and a second win of this race for jockey Brendan Powell, who was on the comeback trail after a few years in the doldrums:
The Conditional - Ultima Handicap Chase 2020#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/g0NSiVf0Pq
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) February 2, 2023
Beware The Bear produced a big leap at the last and then held off a late challenge from Vintage Clouds in the 2019 Ultima Chase.
It was Jeremiah McGrath's first victory at the Festival since 2012 (aboard Une Artiste in the Fred Winter Hurdle):
Beware The Bear - Ultima Handicap Chase 2019#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/RhYBzdv8tX
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) February 2, 2023
Coo Star Sivola landed a big gamble in 2018, with conditional jockey Lizzie Kelly riding for her stepfather Nick Williams.
She was thus the first female professional jockey to win a race at the Festival:
Coo Star Sivola - Ultima Handicap Chase 2018#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/hcIe5UeKQx
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) February 2, 2023
Un Temps Pour Tout 2017
Un Temps Pour Tout - Ultima Handicap Chase 2017#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/9U39NizUn7
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) February 2, 2023
Un Temps Pour Tout 2016
Un Temps Pour Tout - Ultima Handicap Chase 2016#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/Jym5d1rDN3
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) February 3, 2023
The Druids Nephew 2015
The Druids Nephew - Ultima Handicap Chase 2015#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/I7NEju8hOC
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) February 3, 2023
In 2014 the Jonjo O'Neill trained Holywell secured back-to-back Festival wins, having won the Pertemps Final 12 months earlier.
The small but brave gelding went on to finish fourth in the 2015 Gold Cup and then runner-up back in this race in 2016.
Holywell - Baylis & Harding Affordable Luxury Handicap Chase 2014#CheltenhamFestival
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) November 2, 2022
pic.twitter.com/CK8sWZMawW
Golden Chieftain 2013
Golden Chieftain - JLT Specialty Handicap Chase 2013#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/b9FnIKy0OU
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) February 3, 2023
Looking further back, there was a classic finish in 2009 when the great AP McCoy refused to accept defeat.
He coaxed Wichita Lineman to victory with a late surge past Maljimar - still considered by many to be the best ride in the history of the Cheltenham Festival:
Wichita Lineman - Festival Trophy Handicap Chase 2009#CheltenhamFestival
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) July 24, 2022
pic.twitter.com/lTNP8QXpFG
An Accordion 2008
An Accordion - Festival Trophy Handicap Chase 2008#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/RM6PLh5xQ9
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) January 19, 2023
Joes Edge 2007
Joes Edge - Festival Trophy Handicap Chase 2007#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/R29wwdJARc
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) January 20, 2023
While in 2002, Paul Carberry memorably gave Frenchman's Creek a superb ride, timing his charge to perfection to overhaul long-time leader Carbury Cross on the run-in.
Frenchman’s Creek - National Hunt Handicap Chase 2002#CheltenhamFestival
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) October 6, 2022
pic.twitter.com/u7iRYrip0x
