Ultima Handicap Chase Predictions, Betting Tips & Odds (Cheltenham 2025 - DAY 1)
- Written by Simon Bettarini
The Grade 3 Ultima Handicap Chase is run over 3 miles and one furlong. The race is open to 5 year olds and over, and involves 20 fences. It is the first big handicap of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival meeting and will as always be an ultra competitive race. The 2024 renewal saw Chianti Classico winning the Ultima Chase for trainer Kim Bailey, at odds of 6/1. Don't miss our Ultima Handicap 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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ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE BETTING PREVIEW
Formerly the William Hill Handicap Chase, the Ultima Handicap Chase is run over 3 miles at Cheltenham and there are 20 fences for the field to jump around the old course at Prestbury Park. It's a Grade 3 handicap chase, for horses aged five and upwards, where many of the top handicappers come together, producing a thrilling race. The prize fund is around £125,000.
Many horses will arrive looking well handicapped making it very hard to predict the winner. Furthermore, some of the previous winners have carried big weights to victory.
We'll take a closer look at this year's Ultima Handicap Steeple Chase and try to determine which horse is likely to prevail in the coming days.
Who will win the Ultima Handicap Chase 2025? Having only been upped two pounds for that 24-length victory in the Reynoldstown Novices' Chase, THE CHANGING MAN has been backed into favouritism for the Ultima. He fell in the Badger Beer at Wincanton then ran three consecutive second placed finishes in Premier Handicaps over 3 miles. Joe Tizzard's charge actually finished runner-up in four of his last five starts in handicap company, but took advantage of Jingko Blue's early tumble to claim victory in that Grade Two.
Dai Walters-owned seven-year-old KATATE DORI failed to win over hurdles, but he has quickly made up into a much better chaser. He took his record over fences to three wins from four starts when he led his rivals a merry dance in the valuable Ladbrokes Trophy at Kempton last month, coming home 15 lengths clear under Charlie Deutsch.
CREBILLY is beneficiary of a generous handicapping as he will be running here off 2 pounds lower then when second to Shakem Up'Arry in the Festival Plate 12 months ago.
Nigel Twiston-Davies' BROADWAY BOY won twice at this venue as a novice chaser last season and once in a handicap hurdle. He hasn’t reached the heights they had hoped this season but that reappearance third off a big weight was a good effort as was the second to Kandoo Kid at Newbury.
WHISTLE STOP TOUR has raced four times over fences and is officially rated 137. He won at Kelso and Ayr before finishing fifth over 2m4½f on Cheltenham's Trials day in January. Bought at the Cheltenham April Sale in 2023, the Saddex gelding won a couple of times over hurdles last winter but fences were always going to bring out the best in him.
MALINA GIRL has previously run at Cheltenham three times, winning twice over 3m+ in November 2022 and 2023. However, she fell when leading three out in December 2023. Her most recent run saw her finish second in a 3m Mares’ Chase at Exeter, just 1¾ lengths behind Don’t Rightly Know. She is probably badly handicapped considering she’s seven pounds higher than her last winning mark.
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Dark horses?
HENRY'S FRIEND has been improving with each run this term from finishing a well beaten 4th on his seasonal reappearance, to finishing 5th in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, recovering from a mid-race blunder to cross the line just seven lengths adrift of Kandoo Kid and Broadway Boy. He then scored a comfortable success over Hymac at the end of the calendar year. This will be only his eighth start over fences and he comes into the race fresh, which has proved successful in the past.
VICTTORINO did not complete last year's ultima but was a massive eyecatcher in the Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase, clearly hating the left-handed track but flying at the finish to grab third. He returned to winning ways at Ascot next time out.
David Pipe's KING TURGEON has won three from three since returning from a summer wind operation, including an impressive victory here at Cheltenham in December when he beat Our Power and last year's Ultima winner, Chianti Classico by three lengths. He then finished 3rd to Collectors Item and Katate Dori in the Somerset National at Wincanton, despite carrying 12-0. He was last seen when pulled up under top weight in the Edinburgh National.
Latest Odds
At the moment, the most backed horses are the following:
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ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE TRENDS
- Only 3 of the last 29 favourites won
- Only four horses have triumphed in the last 21 editions above odds of 14/1
- 17 of the last 24 winners came from the top 4 in the betting
- 10 of the last 15 winners had run at Cheltenham that season
- 9 of the past 22 winners came into the race on the back of a win
- 13 of the last 16 winners had run at the Festival before
- 12 of the last 18 winners were rated 142 or more
- 10 of the last 13 winners wore headgear
- 14 of the last 21 winners were aged either 7 or 8
ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE PREDICTIONS
Feel free to copy our betting tips on the Ultima Handicap Chase 2025. Get the best odds available on your favourite recommended bet by clicking the 'Bet' button!
Ruby Walsh's Ultima Handicap Chase Tips
Cheltenham Festival’s winning-most jockey turned TV pundit Ruby Walsh have shared his tips:
"I liked Broadway Boy but his last run disappointed me. WHISTLE STOP TOUR will be better suited by the step up in trip to 3m 1f so I’ll side with him."
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ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE FAQs
What is the distance of the Ultima Handicap Chase?
The Ultima Handicap Chase is run on a distance of 3 miles and 1 furlong
How many obstacles are jumped in the Ultima Handicap Chase?
There are 20 fences to jump for the Ultima Handicap Chase runners
What time is the Ultima Handicap Chase?
The Ultima Handicap Chase is the 3rd race run on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival. That falls on Tuesday March 11, 2025 and the official starting time is 2:40pm.
What is the prize money for the Ultima Handicap Chase?
The total prize money on offer for the Ultima Festival Chase at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival will be £125,000.
Who won the Ultima Handicap Chase last year?
Last year's renewal was won by Chianti Classico at SP of 6/1, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by David Bass.
What weights are carried for the Ultima Handicap Chase?
10st - 11st 12lb (handicap).
Who is the leading jockey in the Ultima Handicap Chase?
Tom Scudamore is more successful than any other jockey in the race in recent times, with three winners since 2008 (all for trainer David Pipe) and five places overall. He ended his glorious career two years ago. Robert Thornton also has three wins, but the most recent came courtesy of Fort Lightning in 2004. Derek Fox has won two of the last three renewals on the plucky Corach Rambler.
Who is the leading trainer in the Ultima Handicap Chase?
The last 18 winners were trained in Britain. With 3 winners each, David Pipe and Jonjo O'Neill have the best record in the race. Lucinda Russell has won the last two renewals with Corach Rambler.
