The Festival Trophy is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong (), and during its running there are twenty fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival in March.

The event was originally known as the National Hunt Handicap Chase, but its title has included the name of a sponsor from the early 1980s. It was backed by Ritz Club from 1981 until 1996, Astec Buzz Shop in 1997 and William Hill between 1998 and 2010. In 2011 the race was run as the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase and sponsored by the Stewart family, headed by businessman and racehorse owner Andy Stewart to raise awareness of, and highlight the work done by, the charity Spinal Research. In 2012 and 2013 the race was sponsored by JLT Specialty Ltd, and in 2014 Baylis & Harding were the sponsors. Since 2015 the race has been sponsored by Ultima Business Solutions. It held Grade 3 status until 2022 and was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the British Horseracing Authority.

Winners of the race often take part in the Grand National, although not always in the same year. Horses to have achieved victory in both events include Royal Tan, Team Spirit, West Tip, Seagram, Rough Quest and Corach Rambler.

Records Most successful horse since 1946 (2 wins): Sentina – 1957, 1958 Scot Lane – 1982, 1983 Un Temps Pour Tout – 2016, 2017 Corach Rambler- 2022, 2023

Leading jockey since 1946 (3 wins): Robert Thornton – Fork Lightning (2004), Kelami (2005), Bensalem (2011) Tom Scudamore – An Accordion (2008), Un Temps Pour Tout (2016, 2017) Richie McLernon - Alfie Sherrin (2012), Holywell (2014), Johnnywho (2026)

Leading trainer since 1946 (4 wins): Fred Rimell – Cavaliero (1948), Frere Jacques II (1949), Land Fort (1951), Holly Bank (1954) Fulke Walwyn – Ravencroft (1961), Team Spirit (1963), Lord Jim (1971), Gay Vulgan (1977) Jonjo O'Neill - Wichita Lineman (2009), Alfie Sherrin (2012), Holywell (2014), Johnnywho (2026)

Winners since 1946 Weights given in stones and pounds. Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer 1946 Dunnshaughlin 8 10-10 Bobby O'Ryan Charles Rogers 1947 no race 1947 1948 Cavaliero 7 11-10 Ted Vinall Fred Rimell 1949 Frere Jacques II 7 10-06 Ted Vinall Fred Rimell 1950 Silver Fame 11 12-07 Martin Molony George Beeby 1951 Land Fort 7 11-08 Johnny Bullock Fred Rimell 1952 Royal Tan 8 11-06 Phonsie O'Brien Vincent O'Brien 1953 Four Ten 7 10-07 Tommy Cusack John Roberts 1954 Holly Bank 7 10–13 Peter Brookshaw Fred Rimell 1955 Limber Hill 8 11-02 Tim Molony Bill Dutton 1956 Kerstin 6 10-05 George Milburn Verly Bewicke 1957 Sentina 7 10-04 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper 1958 Sentina 8 11-07 Tom Taaffe Tom Dreaper 1959 Winning Coin 7 11-07 Dave Dick George Beeby 1960 Isle of Skye 9 10-05 Tony Keen Alec Kilpatrick 1961 Ravencroft 8 10-03 Fred Winter Fulke Walwyn 1962 Longtail 7 11-00 Stan Mellor Dick Curran 1963 Team Spirit 11 11-04 Willie Robinson Fulke Walwyn 1964 Prudent Barney 10 10–11 Terry Biddlecombe Bobby Renton 1965 Rondetto 9 11-10 Johnny Haine Bob Turnell 1966 Arkloin 7 12-05 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper 1967 Different Class 7 11–13 David Mould Peter Cazalet 1968 Battledore 7 10-10 Kit Stobbs Arthur Stephenson 1969 Chancer 7 11-00 Pat McCarron Charlie Hall 1970 Charter Flight 8 11-09 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1971 Lord Jim 10 10-08 Johnny Haine Fulke Walwyn 1972 Jomon 6 10–12 David Mould Harry Thomson Jones 1973 The Chisler 7 10-10 Michael Dickinson Tony Dickinson 1974 Cuckolder 9 10–13 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1975 King Flame 9 10-06 John Francome Richard Head 1976 Barmer 8 10-03 Jimmy McNaught Robin Blakeney 1977 Gay Vulgan 9 11-04 Bill Smith Fulke Walwyn 1978 no race 1978 1979 Fair View 9 10-04 Ridley Lamb George Fairbairn 1980 Again the Same 7 11-01 Jim Wilson John Edwards 1981 Current Gold 10 10-07 Neale Doughty Gordon W. Richards 1982 Scot Lane 9 10–12 Craig Smith Martin Tate 1983 Scot Lane 10 11-07 Craig Smith Martin Tate 1984 Tracys Special 7 11-01 Steve Knight Andrew Turnell 1985 West Tip 8 10–13 Richard Dunwoody Michael Oliver 1986 Charter Party 8 10-10 Peter Scudamore David Nicholson 1987 Gainsay 8 10-05 Ben de Haan Jenny Pitman 1988 Aquilifer 8 10–12 Paul Croucher David Murray Smith 1989 Dixton House 10 11-00 Tom Morgan John Edwards 1990 Bigsun 9 10–11 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson 1991 Seagram 11 10–11 Nigel Hawke David Barons 1992 Tipping Tim 7 10-00 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies 1993 Givus a Buck 10 10-08 Paul Holley David Elsworth 1994 Antonin 6 11-05 John Burke Sue Bramall 1995 Rough Quest 9 10-03 Mick Fitzgerald Terry Casey 1996 Maamur 8 10-00 Andrew Thornton Tim Forster 1997 Flyer's Nap 11 11-02 David Bridgwater Robert Alner 1998 Unguided Missile 10 11-10 Paul Carberry Gordon W. Richards 1999 Betty's Boy 10 10-02 Norman Williamson Kim Bailey 2000 Marlborough 8 10-03 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson 2001 no race 2001 2002 Frenchman's Creek 8 10-05 Paul Carberry Hughie Morrison 2003 Youlneverwalkalone 9 10–11 Barry Geraghty Christy Roche 2004 Fork Lightning 8 10–05 Robert Thornton Alan King 2005 Kelami 7 10-02 Robert Thornton François Doumen 2006 Dun Doire 7 10-09 Ruby Walsh Tony Martin 2007 Joes Edge 10 10-06 Davy Russell Ferdy Murphy 2008 An Accordion 7 10–12 Tom Scudamore David Pipe 2009 Wichita Lineman 8 10-09 Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill 2010 Chief Dan George 10 10-10 Paddy Aspell James Moffatt 2011 Bensalem 8 11-02 Robert Thornton Alan King 2012 Alfie Sherrin 9 10-00 Richie McLernon Jonjo O'Neill 2013 Golden Chieftain 8 10-05 Brendan Powell Jnr Colin Tizzard 2014 Holywell 7 11-06 Richie McLernon Jonjo O'Neill 2015 The Druids Nephew 8 11-03 Barry Geraghty Neil Mulholland 2016 Un Temps Pour Tout 7 11-07 Tom Scudamore David Pipe 2017 Un Temps Pour Tout 8 11–12 Tom Scudamore David Pipe 2018 Coo Star Sivola 6 10-10 Lizzie Kelly Nick Williams 2019 Beware The Bear 9 11-08 Jeremiah McGrath Nicky Henderson 2020 The Conditional 8 10-06 Brendan Powell Jnr David Bridgwater 2021 Vintage Clouds 11 10-11 Ryan Mania Sue Smith 2022 Corach Rambler 8 10-02 Derek Fox Lucinda Russell 2023 Corach Rambler 9 11-05 Derek Fox Lucinda Russell 2024 Chianti Classico 7 11-04 David Bass Kim Bailey 2025 Myretown 8 10-03 Patrick Wadge Lucinda Russell 2026 Johnnywho 9 11-03 Richie McLernon Jonjo & AJ O'Neill

See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races

References

Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

External links pedigreequery.com – William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase – Cheltenham. racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (21 February 2008).

Race Recordings (1979-2004) youtube.com