The St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase is a National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain for amateur riders which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs (3 miles 2 furlongs and 70 yards, or 5,294 metres), and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped. It is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The event is contested over the same course and distance as the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and it is sometimes referred to as the "amateur Gold Cup". It was established in 1904, and the inaugural running was won by Palmy Boy. It was backed by the insurance company Sun Alliance and London in 1972 and 1973, and for the following five years it was run without a sponsor. The art auctioneers Christie's supported the race from 1979 to 2012 and from 2013 to 2015 it was sponsored by the Country Gentleman's Association. Since 2016 it has been sponsored by St. James's Place plc. The race's full title is the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase. Until 2020 the race was known as the St James's Place Foxhunters' Chase - the word "fox" was removed from the title prior to the 2021 running.
Qualification for entry in the Festival Hunter Chase is based on a horse's previous performances in certain types of race within a specific period. To be eligible a horse must have finished first or second twice in hunter chases, or have won two open point-to-point races, or have won one open point-to-point race and finished first or second in a hunter chase.
Only professional jockeys competed in the 2021 running as amateur riders were excluded from the Cheltenham Festival due to restrictions on grassroots sport for the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.
Records Most successful horse since 1946 (2 wins): The Callant – 1956, 1957 Whinstone Hill – 1958, 1960 Master – 1961, 1962 Double Silk – 1993, 1994 Fantus – 1995, 1997 Earthmover – 1998, 2004 Salsify – 2012, 2013 On The Fringe – 2015, 2016 Pacha du Polder – 2017, 2018
Leading jockey since 1946 (3 wins): Colman Sweeney – Sleeping Night (2005), Salsify (2012, 2013),
Leading trainer since 1946 (4 wins): Richard Barber – Rushing Wild (1992), Fantus (1995, 1997), Earthmover (1998) Paul Nicholls – Earthmover (2004), Sleeping Night (2005), Pacha du Polder (2017, 2018)
Winners since 1946 All amateur jockeys except in 2021. Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1946 Iloilo 9 Harry Freeman-Jackson Harry Freeman-Jackson 1947 Lucky Purchase 9 John Nichols Sidney Banks 1948 State Control 8 Harry Llewellyn Harry Llewellyn 1949 no race 1949 1950 Greenwood 13 John Stuart-Evans J. T. Evans 1951 Halloween 6 Dickie Smalley Bill Wightman 1952 Parasol II 7 Ivor Kerwood A. Walton 1953Dunboy II (DH) 9 Charlie Scott P. Bruce 1953Merry (DH) 13 Gay KindersleyAlec Kerr 1954 Happymint 9 Danny Moralee Stewart Wight 1955 no race 1955 1956 The Callant 8 John Scott-Aiton Stewart Wight 1957 The Callant 9 John Scott-Aiton Stewart Wight 1958 Whinstone Hill 9 Bobby Brewis Bobby Brewis 1959 Some Baby 10 John Thorne Tim Rootes 1960 Whinstone Hill 11 Bobby Brewis Bobby Brewis 1961 College Master 11 Laurie Morgan Laurie Morgan 1962 College Master 12 Laurie Morgan Laurie Morgan 1963 Grand Morn II 9 R. Bloomfield G. Shepheard 1964 Freddie 7 Alan Mactaggart Reg Tweedie 1965 Woodside Terrace 12 Dick Woodhouse Dick Woodhouse 1966 Straight Lady 10 Richard Shepherd William Shepherd 1967 Mulbarton 11 Nick Gaselee Ian Pattullo 1968 Bright Beach 8 Charlie Macmillan Geordie Dun 1969 Queens Guide 8 G. Wade Willie Wade 1970 Highworth 11 Dick Woodhouse Dick Woodhouse 1971 Hope Again 9 Richard Smith Denis Windel 1972 Credit Call 8 Chris Collins Arthur Stephenson 1973 Bullocks Horn 10 Lord Oaksey Bob Turnell 1974 Corrie Burn 8 Ian Williams George Fairbairn 1975 Real Rascal 12 George Hyatt Barbara Surman 1976 False Note 10 Bryan Smart John Horton 1977 Long Lane 9 Richard Shepherd Richard Shepherd 1978 Timmie's Battle 7 Peter Greenall Arthur Stephenson 1979 Spartan Missile 7 John Thorne John Thorne 1980 Rolls Rambler 9 Oliver Sherwood Fred Winter 1981 Grittar 8 Dick Saunders Frank Gilman 1982 The Drunken Duck 9 Brod Munro-Wilson Brod Munro-Wilson 1983 Eliogarty 8 Caroline Beasley Barry Kelly 1984 Venture to Cognac 11 Oliver Sherwood Fred Winter 1985 Elmboy 7 Alan Hill Norman Mawle 1986 Attitude Adjuster 6 Ted Walsh Mouse Morris 1987 Observe 11 Charlie Brooks Fred Winter 1988 Certain Light 10 Paul HackingJean Campbell 1989 Three Counties 12 Katie Rimell Mercy Rimell 1990 Call Collect 9 Ray Martin John Parkes 1991 Lovely Citizen 8 Willie O'Sullivan Eugene M. O'Sullivan 1992 Rushing Wild 7 Justin Farthing Richard Barber 1993 Double Silk 9 Ron Treloggen Reg Wilkins 1994 Double Silk 10 Ron Treloggen Reg Wilkins 1995 Fantus 8 Polly Curling Richard Barber 1996 Elegant Lord 8 Enda Bolger Enda Bolger 1997 Fantus 10 Tim Mitchell Richard Barber 1998 Earthmover 7 Joe Tizzard Richard Barber 1999 Castle Mane 7 Ben Pollock Caroline Bailey 2000 Cavalero 11 Alex Charles-Jones John Manners 2001 no race 2001 2002 Last Option 10 Fiona Needham Robin Tate 2003 Kingscliff 6 Richard Young Sally Alner 2004 Earthmover 13 Rilly Goschen Paul Nicholls 2005 Sleeping Night 9 Colman Sweeney Paul Nicholls 2006 Whyso Mayo 9 Damien Murphy Raymond Hurley 2007 Drombeag 9 J. T. McNamara Jonjo O'Neill 2008 Amicelli 9 Oliver Greenall Cherry Coward 2009 Cappa Bleu 7 Richard Burton Sheila Crow 2010 Baby Run 10 Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies 2011 Zemsky 8 Derek O'Connor Ian Ferguson 2012 Salsify 7 Colman Sweeney Roger Sweeney 2013 Salsify 8 Colman Sweeney Roger Sweeney 2014 Tammys Hill 9 James Smyth Liam Lennon 2015 On The Fringe 10 Nina Carberry Enda Bolger 2016 On The Fringe 11 Nina Carberry Enda Bolger 2017 Pacha Du Polder 10 Bryony Frost Paul Nicholls 2018 Pacha Du Polder 11 Harriet Tucker Paul Nicholls 2019 Hazel Hill 11 Alex Edwards Philip Rowley 2020 It Came to Pass 10 Maxine O'Sullivan Eugene O'Sullivan 2021 Porlock Bay 10 Lorcan Williams Will Biddick 2022 Billaway 10 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins 2023 Premier Magic 10 Bradley Gibbs Bradley Gibbs 2024 Sine Nomine 8 John Dawson Fiona Needham 2025 Wonderwall 9 Rob James Sam Curling 2026 Barton Snow 9 Henry Crow Joe O'Shea
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races Recurring sporting events established in 1904 – this race is included under the title Foxhunter Chase.
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , pedigreequery.com – Foxhunter Chase – Cheltenham. pointtopoint.co.uk – Point-to-Point and Hunter Chase Race Planner 2009/10. racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (28 February 2008).
External links Race Recordings (1980, 1983-2004) youtube.com