National Hunt Handicap Chase (Festival Handicap Chase/Ultima Chase)

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 The National Hunt Handicap Steeplechase, open to 5-year-olds and above, is contested over 3 miles 1 furlong and 20 fences of the Old Course and boasts a very long history. It was part of the very first Festival programme in 1911 when Autocar was successful, and has enjoyed a range of sponsors through the years. It has been renamed the Festival Handicap Chase and was of Grade 3 status until rebranded as a Premier Handicap. Of late it is known as the Ultima Chase, but previous sponsors have included the Ritz Club, Astec Buzz Shop, William Hill, the Stewart Family, JLT Speciality Ltd, and Baylis and Harding. Race winners in the past have gone on to run in the Grand National, with previous winners who have also landed the Grand National include Team Spirit, West Tip, Seagram, Royal Tan, Rough Quest and most recently Corach Rambler.
Early history:- The National Hunt Handicap Steeplechase for 1000 sovereigns over 3 miles 2 furlongs was first staged at the Festival on Thursday 9th March 1911 when Autocar (100/6) owned by Mr Williams, trained by Costello and ridden by Bill Payne beat Gyfella (8/1) and Great Cross (100/6) by 10 lengths and 4 lengths.
Over the entire history of the race 22% of favourites have been successful, placing the race 18th 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 £90 loss, placing the race 13th of the current 28 races.
Over the entire history of the race the Irish have been successful 9% of occasions, placing the race 27th of the 28 current races.
National Hunt Handicap Chase (Festival Handicap Chase/Ultima Chase) Premier Handicap 3 miles 1/2 furlong
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1911 AUTOCAR Payne Costello Mr R Williams 100/6
1912 GREAT CROSS R Chadwick Coulthwaite Major H M Cliff 5/2 fav
1913 STRANGWAYS Jack Anthony R Smith Mr Harrison 100/9
1914 RED COIL I Morgan Captain Collis Mr F Bibby 100/6
1915-19 Race was not staged due to the First World War
1920 GERALD L F Dainty Ted Gwilt Major F Scott Murray 100/15
1921 GARRYVOE Ivor Anthony A Hastings Mr C Ismay 5/1
1922 VAULX F B Rees C Piggott Mr Patterson 4/1 jt fav
1923 ALCAZAR F B Rees G Poole Mr H M Curtis 10/1
1924 VAULX F B Rees C Piggott Mr Patterson 4/1 fav
1925 VIVE Ivor Anthony A Hastings Colonel Starkey 6/1
1926 SPRIG W Madden Ted Leader Mrs Partridge 2/1 fav
1927 HERBERT'S CHOICE F Gurney Woodland Mr Thomson 8/1
1928 KNOCKIRR W Gurney G Pease Mr G Pease 100/8
1929 DONZELON G Turner Col Faljambe Col G Foljambe 20/1
1930 DON SANCHO J Moloney Withington Mr Smith 100/7
1931        
1932 QUITE CALM F Gurney Roberts Mr R E More-O'Ferrall 10/1
1933 SOCIETY Mr G Shakerley F Brown Mr P G Shakerley 11/2
1934 FRANCOLINO Fitzgerald Cockton Mr L T Parke 4/1 fav
1935 TAPINOS F Gurney Hurt Mr Peek 100/8
1936 AVENGER T F Rimell Tom Rimell Mrs Mundy 6/4 fav
1937 TEME WILLOW Jack Fawcus Tom Rimell Sie Edward Hanmer 3/1 fav
1938 TEME WILLOW T F Rimell Tom Rimell Sie Edward Hanmer 10/1
1939 MASQUERY J Moloney J Anthony Mrs J De Selincourt 10/1
1940 KILSTAR G Archibald Owen Anthony Miss Dorothy Paget 8/1
1941 FORWARD Mr Applin J Hall Mrs T Hanbury 20/1
1942 THE HACK M Jones J Anthony Mr H Smyth 100/8
1943-45 Race was not run due to the Second World War
1946 DUNNSHAUGHLIN Bobby O'Rayn Charles Rogers (Ire) Miss Dorothy Paget 7/1
1947 Race was not held due to severe frost
1948 CAVALIERO Ted Vinall Fred Rimell Mr W R Porter 7/1
1949 FRERE JACQUES II Ted Vinall Fred Rimell Mrs Simmons 20/1
1950 SILVER FAME Martin Molony George Beeby Lord Bicester 5/4 fav
1951 LAND FORT Johnny Bullock Fred Rimell Mr H Oliver 8/1
1952 ROYAL TAN Phonsie O'Brien Vincent O'Brien (Ire) Mr J H Griffin 7/2 co fav
1953 FOUR TEN Tommy Cusack John Roberts Mr A Strange 4/1
1954 HOLLY BANK Peter Brookshaw Fred Rimell Mr S H Brookshaw 7/2 jt fav
1955 LIMBER HILL Tim Molony Bill Dutton Mr J Davey 7/1
1956 KERSTIN George Milburn Verly Bewicke Mr G H Moore 100/9
1957 SENTINA Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper (Ire) Mr A Craigie 3/1 fav
1958 SENTINA Tom Taaffe Tom Dreaper (Ire) Anne, Duchess of Westminster 7/1
1959 WINNING COIN Dave Dick George Beeby Lord Bicester 100/9
1960 ISLE OF SKYE Tony Keen Alec Kilpatrick Sir T Pilkington 100/8
1961 RAVENCROFT Fred Winter Fulke Walwyn Mr C Loyd 9/2
1962 LONGTAIL Stan Mellor Dick Curran Mr A Dickinson 100/7
1963 TEAM SPIRIT Willie Robinson Fulke Walwyn Mr R Woodward 100/8
1964 PRUDENT BARNEY Terry Biddlecombe Bobby Renton Mrs L Brotherton 10/1
1965 RONDETTO Johnny Haine Bob Turnell Mr A Mitchell 11/2
1966 ARKLOIN Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper (Ire) Mr George Ansley 5/2 fav
1967 DIFFERENT CLASS David Mould Peter Cazalet Mr Gregory Peck 13/2
1968 BATTLEDORE Kit Stobbs Arthur Stephenson Mr W E Morton 3/1 fav
1969 CHANCER Pat McCarron Charlie Hall Mr A H P Hope 6/1 fav
1970 CHARTER FLIGHT Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell Mr J Rogerson 100/8
1971 LORD JIM Johnny Haine Fulke Walwyn Guildford Dudley jnr 8/1
1972 JOMON David Mould Harry Thomson Jones Mrs W Jones 8/1
1973 THE CHISLER Michael Dickinson Tony Dickinson Mr J Haggas 6/1
1974 CUCKOLDER Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell Mr Bob Turnell 6/1
1975 KING FLAME John Francome Richard Head Lord Head 12/1
1976 BARMER Jimmy McNaught Robin Blakeney Mr R Dean 20/1
1977 GAY VULGAN Bill Smith Fulke Walwyn Mrs W Pilkington 4/1 fav
1978 Race was not held due to snow
1979 FAIR VIEW Ridley Lamb George Fairbairn Mr M Shore 12/1
1980 AGAIN THE SAME Jim Wilson John Edwards Mr G Smith 10/1
1981 CURRENT GOLD Neale Doughty Gordon W Richards Mr A Picken 10/1
1982 SCOT LANE Craig Smith Martin Tate Mr T Isherwood 15/2
1983 SCOT LANE Craig Smith Martin Tate Mr T Isherwood 20/1
1984 TRACY'S SPECIAL Steve Knight Andrew Turnell Major J Rubin 5/1
1985 WEST TIP Richard Dunwoody Michael Oliver Mr P Luff 6/1
1986 CHARTER PARTY Peter Scudamore David Nicholson Mrs C Smith 12/1
1987 GAINSAY Ben De Haan Jenny Pitman Mr E Brown 10/1
1988 AQUILIFER Paul Croucher David Murray-Smith Mr B A Kilpatrick 9/2
1989 DIXTON HOUSE Tom Morgan John Edwards Mr Peter S Hill 13/2
1990 BIGSUN Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson Mr John F Horn 15/2
1991 SEAGRAM Nigel Hawke David Barons Sir Eric Parker 6/1
1992 TIPPING TIM Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies Mrs Jenny Mould 20/1
1993 GIVUS A BUCK Paul Holley David Elsworth Mr K Costello 11/2
1994 ANTONIN John Burke Sue Bramall Mr M Stanners 4/1 fav
1995 ROUGH QUEST Mick Fitzgerald Terry Casey Mr A T Wates 16/1
1996 MAAMUR Andrew Thornton Tim Forster Mrs A L Wood 13/2
1997 FLYER'S NAP David Bridgwater Robert Alner Mr R J Tory 20/1
1998 UNGUIDED MISSILE Paul Carberry Gordon W Richards Mr D E Harrison 10/1
1999 BETTY'S BOY Norman Williamson Kim Bailey Mr T Benfield, Mr W Brown 25/1
2000 MARLBOROUGH Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Sir Robert Ogden 11/2
2001

Race was not held due to foot & mouth crisis
2002 FRENCHMAN'S CREEK Paul Carberry Hughie Morrison Mr Rory Sweet, Panda Christie 8/1
2003 YOULNEVERWALKALONE Barry Geraghty Christy Roche (Ire) Mr John P McManus 7/1
2004 FORK LIGHTNING Robert Thornton Alan King Mr & Mrs F C Welch 7/1
2005 KELAMI Robert Thornton Francois Doumen (Fr) Halewood International 8/1
2006 DUN DOIRE Ruby Walsh Tony Martin (Ire) Dunderry Racing Syndicate 7/1
2007 JOES EDGE Davy Russell Ferdy Murphy (Ire) Chemipetro Ltd 50/1
2008 AN ACCORDION Tom Scudamore David Pipe Mr B A Kilpatrick 7/1
2009 WICHITA LINEMAN Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill Mr John P McManus 5/1 fav
2010 CHIEF DAN GEORGE Paddy Aspell James Moffatt Mr Maurice Chapman 33/1
2011 BENSALEM Robert Thornton Alan King Mr Alan Marsh, Mr John Duggan 5/1
2012 ALFIE SHERRIN Richie McLernon Jonjo O'Neill Mr John P McManus 14/1
2013 GOLDEN CHIEFTAIN Brendan Powell jnr Colin Tizzard Brocade Racing 28/1
2014 HOLYWELL Richie McLernon Jonjo O'Neill Mrs Gay Smith 10/1
2015 THE DRUIDS NEPHEW Barry Geraghty Neil Mulholland The Stonehenge Druids 8/1
2016 UN TEMPS POUR TOUT Tom Scudamore David Pipe Prof Caroline Tisdall, Bryan Drew 11/1
2017 UN TEMPS POUR TOUT Tom Scudamore David Pipe Prof Caroline Tisdall, Bryan Drew 9/1
2018 COO STAR SIVOLA Lizzie Kelly Nick Williams Babbitt Racing 5/1 fav
2019 BEWARE THE BEAR Jeremiah McGrath Nicky Henderson Mr G B Barlow 10/1
2020 THE CONDITIONAL Brendan Powell jnr David Bridgwater Mr P J Cave 15/2
2021 VINTAGE CLOUDS Ryan Mania Sue Smith Mr Trevor Hemmings 28/1
2022 CORACH RAMBLER Derek Fox Lucinda Russell The Ramblers 10/1
2023 CORACH RAMBLER Derek Fox Lucinda Russell The Ramblers 6/1