Hunters Chase Predictions, Betting Tips, Odds & Trends (Cheltenham 2025 - DAY 4)
- Written by Simon Bettarini
The Hunters Chase Challenge Cup is the richest and most prestigious hunter chase of the season. It is run on exactly the same course and distance of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Fiona Needham's Sine Nomine won the renewal last year, at odds of 8/1, ridden by John Dawson. Don't miss our Hunters Chase race preview with free predictions, tips, betting trends, best odds, free bets and no deposit bonuses on the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
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Hunters Chase Betting Preview
The Foxhunters Chase is always a popular contest with the Festival drawing to a close. It is the Gold Cup for amateur riders and older horses. An extreme test ran over the same course and distance as the Gold Cup - three miles, two and a half furlongs - so that definitely tests out the horses jumping and stamina. The race is for chasers and the age limit on the race is five year old and above, and it usually attracts horses that are veterans.
Furthermore, the Foxhunters Chase is now the richest and most prestigious hunter chase of the season, worth a total of 50,000.
And now we take a closer look at this year's Foxhunter Steeple Chase and try to determine which horse is likely to prevail.
ANGELS DAWN won both of her outings in the point-to-point fields this season, including when beating her potential rival Ryehill by six lengths. She is a winner of the 2023 Kim Muir Challenge Cup over the now 157-rated Stumptown and was in the process of running a career-best behind Inothewayurthinkin at this meeting last year in the Kim Muir.
ITS ON THE LINE finished runner-up to Sine Nomine in the Hunters’ Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival before going to Aintree a few weeks later to win the Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase over the somewhat shorter 2m5f trip.
WILLITGOAHEAD has been a big improver this season winning four of his five starts. He made his racecourse debut at Limerick last December, finishing second of 16 runners. Then the son of Getaway went one better next time out when a flawless round of jumping saw him cruise to victory at Thurles.
RYEHILL was beaten six-lengths by Angels Dawn at Dromahane in December, but avenged that bitter defeat with a runaway Hunter Chase victory at Naas last month, beating Its On The Line by a whopping 17 lengths.
SHEARER is unbeaten in four starts over fences. Paul Nicholls' charge won a Ffos Las Hunters Chase by a remarkable 37 lengths before a quick return to action saw him win at Taunton to qualify for the race at Prestbury Park.
Dark Horses?
WHAT A GLANCE impressed with an 11-length triumph in the Junior Jumpers Open Hunters' Chase here at Cheltenham in May. He also won this year's Champion Hunter Chase winner at Stratford. Since then, Tom Britten's charge has finished second twice between the flags, losing out to Allmankind at Horseheath before a slightly disappointing defeat on his prep-run for Cheltenham at Buckfastleigh.
LIFT ME UP was an impressive winner of a hunter chase in January at Warwick. He is owned by former Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell and her husband Christian Horner, the CEO of Red Bull Racing in Formula 1, and was named after Halliwell’s famous song.
ROCKY'S HOWYA finished fourth in the 2023 renewal of this contest while CARNFUNNOCK has been a recent open winner, with Stuart Crawford’s charge having won successive points at Tyrella and Kirkistown this season.
Other horses with Top 3 ambitions are ALLMANKIND, FAIRLY FAMOUS, ONTHEROPES, MUSIC DRIVE, WONDERWALL and BARDENSTOWN LAD.
Latest Odds
The section below contains the most backed entries at the moment:
All the bookmakers we recommend are offering No Runner No Bet on every Cheltenham Festival race.
Hunters Chase Trends
- Just 7 of the last 27 favourites won (5 of the last 15)
- 10 of the last 16 winners came from the first 4 in the betting
The last 18 winners were yet to win over this trip - 8 of the last 15 winners finished in the top 5 in the Hunters Chase the previous year
- 5 of the last 9 winners have been ridden by female jockeys.
- 9 of the last 10 winners have been aged 10 or 11
- British-bred horses are 1-90 since 2003 (Sine Nomini, 2024)
- 10 of the last 13 winners were rated 134+
Hunters Chase Predictions
The section below contains our betting tips on the Foxhunters' Chase 2025. Feel free to copy our Cheltenham Festival tips and get the best prices available on the market by clicking the 'Bet' button! Are you looking for boosted odd on the Festival? Visit our Enhanced Bets section and grab huge prices!
Ruby Walsh's Hunters Chase Tips
Cheltenham Festival’s winning-most jockey turned TV pundit Ruby Walsh have shared his tips:
"Angels Dawn’s form at Cheltenham is outstanding. She won the Kim Muir a couple of years ago and she would have placed in last year’s race if she didn’t fall two out. I’ll keep her on side."
2025 Hunters Chase Free Bets
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2025 CHELTENHAM DAY 4 TIPS AND PREDICTIONS
Are you looking for all the 2025 Cheltenham predictions? Visit our Cheltenham betting tips section here!
2025 Hunters Chase FAQs
What time is the Hunters Chase?
The Foxhunters Chase is the sixth race run on Day 4 of the Cheltenham Festival. That falls on Friday March 14, 2025 and the official starting time is 4:40pm.
How many obstacles are jumped in the Hunters Chase?
There are 22 obstacles to jump for the Hunters Chase runners
What is the distance of the Hunters Chase?
The Foxhunters Chase is run on a distance of 3 miles and 2 and a half furlongs
What is the prize money for the Hunters Chase?
The total prize money on offer for the Foxhunters Chase at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival will be £50,000.
Who won the Hunters Chase last year?
Last year's renewal was won by Sine Nomine at SP of 8/1, trained by Fiona Needham and ridden by John Dawson.
What weights are carried for the Hunters Chase?
11 st 12 lb (5yo). 12 st 0 lb (6yo+), with a 7lb allowance for mares.
Who is the leading jockey in the Hunters Chase?
Nina Carberry is the only jockey who have won the Foxhunters Chase more than once in the past 12 years. Female jockeys (mainly based in Ireland) have dominated this race in the last decade - five wins in the last 10 editions.
Who is the leading trainer in the Hunters Chase?
Paul Nicholls’ has four wins in this race, most recently in 2018. Irish trainer Enda Bolger has saddled two winners and two placed finishers from 10 runners in the last 11 years.
