Festival Trophy (Ryanair Chase/ Cathcart Challenge Cup Chase)

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 The Festival Trophy is its registered name, but today it is more commonly known as the Ryanair Chase, a Grade 1 Chase open to 5-year-olds and above over 2 miles 4 furlongs and 127 yards and 17 fences of the Old Course. It was launched in 1938 as the Cathcart Challenge Cup Chase, for novices and second-season chaser, in honour of the Cheltenham Chairman and Clerk of the Course between 1908 and 1934, Frederick Cathcart, but in 2005 when the Festival was extended to a fourth day the race separated into the Festival Trophy (Ryanair Chase) and the Jewson Novices Handicap Chase (Golden Miller Novices Chase). In 2005 the race was sponsored by the Daily Telegraph and had Grade 2 status, but it was promoted to Grade 1 in 2008 when Ryanair sponsored it.
Early history:-The inaugural running of the Cathcart Challenge Cup Chase was held on Thursday 10th March 1938 when won by Asterabad (2/1 fav) owned by Mr V H Smith, trained by Beeby and ridden by Tommy Carey, beating Atco (100/6) and Durazzo (7/1) by half a length and two lengths. When the race was split into 2 in 2005, the Festival Trophy/ Daily Telegraph Chase/ Ryanair Chase was held on 17th March 2005 and was won by Thisthatandtother (9/2) trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Ruby Walsh, beating Fondmort (9/1) and Rathgar Beau (9/2) by half a length and two and a half lengths.
Over the entire history of the race 47% of favourites have been successful, placing the race 2nd of the 28 current races.
Over the entire history of the race a level stake bet of £10 on every favourite would have resulted in a £150 profit, placing the race 1st of the current 28 races.
I am grateful to Peter Mason for the 2017 photo above showing Un Des Sceaux on the way to the start prior to winning the Ryanair Chase
Festival Trophy (Ryanair Chase/ Cathcart Challenge Cup Chase) Grade 1 2 miles 5 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1938 ASTERABAD T F Carey G Beeby Mr V Smith 2/1 fav
1939 ALEXANDRINA D Morgan Ivor Anthony Mr Large 13/8 fav
1940 STRAIGHT LARCH P Lay R Bennett (Ire) Mrs Bennett 9/4
1941 KNIGHT O' LONDON T Rimell Rimell Mrs Mundy 9/2
1942 ROI D'EGYPTE Bryan Marshall Whiteman Major Thomson 8/1
Race not held in 1943, 1944 or 1945 due to Second World War
1946 LEAP MAN Bryan Marshall Fulke Walwyn Miss Dorothy Paget 100/7
1947 Race was not held due to frost and snow
1948 JACK TATTERS Bryan Marshall Fulke Walwyn Miss Dorothy Paget 9/2
1949 Race was not staged due to frost
1950 RIVER TROUT Martin Molony Ginger Dennistoun Mr L E Hamson 8/13 fav
1951 SEMEUR Bryan Marshall Fulke Walwyn Miss Dorothy Paget 11/8 fav
1952 COOLROCK Bryan Marshall Fulke Walwyn Mrs Noel Furlong 11/8 fav
1953 ARCTIC GOLD Glen Kelly Gerald Balding Mr J Whitney 4/1
1954 ROYAL APPROACH Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper (Ire) Lord Bicester 10/11 fav
1955 Race was not staged due to snow
1956 AMBER WAVE Michael Scudamore Geoffrey Champneys Mr G N Clark 6/1
1957 ROSE'S QUARTER Dave Dick George Beeby Mr G Ansley 3/1
1958 QUITA QUE Bunny Cox Dan Moore (Ire) Mrs D Brand 10/11 fav
1959 GALLERY GODDESS Fred Winter Charlie Mallon Mrs D Collins 11/2
1960 DOVE COTE Mick Batchelor Stewart Wight Mrs M M Green 2/1 fav
1961 QUITA QUE Willie Robinson Dan Moore (Ire) Mrs D Brand 8/11 fav
1962 HOODWINKED David Nicholson Neville Crump Lady Joicey 8/1
1963 SOME ALIBI Willie Robinson Fulke Walwyn Mr B Samuel 9/4 fav
1964 PANISSE Michael Scudamore Willie Stephenson Mr G Keeling 7/2
1965 SCOTTISH MEMORIES Bobby Beasley Paddy Sleator (Ire) Mr G B Sanderson 4/9 fav
1966 FLYING WILD Tommy Carberry Dan Moore (Ire) Mrs Raymond Guest 5/4 jt fav
1967 PRINCE BLARNEY Ron Barry John Barclay Mrs Blair 100/8
1968 MUIR Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper (Ire) Mr W Willis 10/11 fav
1969 KINLOCH BRAE Timmy Hyde Willie O'Grady (Ire) Anne, Duchess of Westminster 3/1 fav
1970 GARRYNAGREE Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper (Ire) Mrs R W Whineray 2/1
1971 THE LAIRD Jeff King Bob Turnell Mr H Joel 2/1
1972 SOLONING Richard Pitman Fred Winter Mrs C Thornton 6/5 fav
1973 INKSLINGER Tommy Carberry Dan Moore (Ire) Mrs M Jenney 21/20 fav
1974 SOOTHSAYER Richard Pitman Fred Winter Mrs M Scott 11/8 fav
1975 Race not staged due to a waterlogged course
1976 MICKLEY SEABRIGHT Mr Peter Brookshaw Fred Rimell Mr Peter Brookshaw 6/4 fav
1977 RUSTY TEARS Mr Niall Madden Edward O'Grady (Ire) Mr Robert Coubrey 7/4 fav
1978 Race not staged due to snow
1979 ROLLER COASTER John Francome Fred Winter Mrs M Lewis 6/4
1980 KING WEASEL Jonjo O'Neill Peter Easterby Mrs D Grant 5/2
1981 LORD GREYSTOKE Neale Doughty Gordon W Richards Mr E Etherington jnr 7/2
1982 DRAMATIST Bill Smith Fulke Walwyn Mr L Thwaites 15/8
1983 OBSERVE John Francome Fred Winter Mr A Gretton 1/2 fav
1984 THE MIGHTY MAC Mr Dermot Browne Michael Dickinson Mrs J Lane 4/7 fav
1985 STRAIGHT ACCORD Stuart Shilston Fulke Walwyn Mr N V Paravicini 15/2
1986 HALF FREE Simon Sherwood Fred Winter Sheikh Ali Abu Khamsin 11/8 fav
1987 HALF FREE Peter Scudamore Fred Winter Sheikh Ali Abu Khamsin 5/4 fav
1988 PRIVATE VIEWS Brendan Powell Nick Gaselee Mr D R Stoddart 7/1
1989 OBSERVER CORPS Tom Morgan John Edwards Mr Glynne Clay 66/1
1990 BROWN WINDSOR John White Nicky Henderson Mr W Shand Kydd 13/8 fav
1991 CHATAM Peter Scudamore Matin Pipe Mr Adrian Nolan 3/1
1992 REPEAT THE DOSE Mark Richards Tim Etherington Mr A T Wates 14/1
1993 SECOND SCHEDUAL Adrian Maguire Arthur Moore (Ire) Mrs Hugh McMahon 6/1
1994 RAYMYLETTE Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Lady Lloyd Webber 7/4
1995 COULTON Jamie Osborne Oliver Sherwood Mr M G St Quinton 11/2
1996 CHALLENGER DU LUC David Bridgwater Martin Pipe Mr David Johnson 10/1
1997 SPARKY GAYLE Brian Storey Colin Parker Mr & Mrs Anderson Green 3/1 fav
1998 CYFOR MALTA Tony McCoy Martin Pipe The Johnson Family 9/4 fav
1999 STORMYFAIRWEATHER Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Mrs Chrisyopher Hanbury 9/1
2000 STORMYFAIRWEATHER Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Mrs Christopher Hanbury 11/2
2001

Race was not held due to foot & mouth crisis
2002 ROYAL AUCLAIR Tony McCoy Martin Pipe Mr Clive Smith 2/1 fav
2003 LA LANDIERE Richard Johnson Richard Phillips Mrs R J Skan 5/4 fav
2004 OUR ARMAGEDDON Larry McGrath Richard Guest Mr Leslie Garrett 9/1
2005 THISTHATANDTOTHER Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls Mr C G Roach 9/2
2006 FONDMORT Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Mr W J Brown 100/30 jt fav
2007 TARANIS Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls Mrs A Yeomans & C R Whittaker 9/2
2008 OUR VIC Timmy Murphy David Pipe The Johnson Family 4/1
2009 IMPERIAL COMMANDER Paddy Brennan Nigel Twiston-Davies Our Friends in the North 6/1
2010 ALBERTAS RUN Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill Mr Trevor Hemmings 14/1
2011 ALBERTAS RUN Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill Mr Trevor Hemmings 6/1
2012 RIVERSIDE THEATRE Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson Jimmy Nesbitt & Partners 7/2 fav
2013 CUE CARD Joe Tizzard Colin Tizzard Mrs Jean Bishop 7/2
2014 DYNASTE Tom Scudamore David Pipe Mr A J White 3/1 fav
2015 UXIZANDRE Tony McCoy Alan King Mr John P McManus 16/1
2016 VAUTOUR Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins (Ire) Mrs Susannah Ricci Evens fav
2017 UN DE SCEAUX Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins (Ire) Mr Edward O'Connell 7/4 fav
2018 BALKO DES FLOS Davy Russell Henry De Bromhead (Ire) Gigginstown House Stud 8/1
2019 FRODON Bryony Frost Paul Nicholls Mr P J Vogt 9/2
2020 MIN Paul Townend Willie Mullins (Ire) Mrs Susannah Ricci 2/1
2021 ALLAHO Rachael Blackmore Willie Mullins (Ire) Cheveley Park Stud 3/1 fav
2022 ALLAHO Paul Townend Willie Mullins (Ire) Cheveley Park Stud 4/7 fav
2023 ENVOI ALLEN Rachael Blackmore Henry De Bromhead (Ire) Cheveley Park Stud 13/2