The Freebooter Handicap Chase, currently run as the William Hill Handicap Chase, is a Premier Handicap National Hunt Grade 3 handicap chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong (3 miles and 210 yards, or 5,020 metres), and during its running there are 19 fences to be jumped. It is scheduled to take place each year at the Grand National meeting in April.
The race was raised from Listed to Grade Three status from 2018.
Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Duke of Lucca – 2014,2015 Cruz Control- 2024,2025
Leading jockey (4 wins): Richard Johnson - From Dawn To Dusk (2010), Duke of Lucca (2014, 2015), Thomas Patrick (2018)
Leading trainer (4 wins): Jonjo O'Neill - Radiation (2000), Carbury Cross (2002), Master Tern (2003), Don't Push It (2009)
Winners since 1977 Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer 1977 Our Edition 10 11-13 Steve Jobar Stan Mellor 1978 Mr Snowman 9 10-10 Graham Thorner Tim Forster 1979 Silent Valley 6 9-10 John Allen Ian Jordan 1980 New Colonist 8 10-03 Tommy Carmody Tony Dickinson 1981 Megans Boy 8 11-05 Tony Charlton E Carter 1982 Silent Valley 9 10-13 Peter Scudamore Ian Jordan 1983 Fauloon 8 10-07 Bill Smith Fulke Walwyn 1984 Staight Accord 9 11-08 Stuart Shilston Fulke Walwyn 1985 Green Bramble 8 10-03 Steve Smith Eccles Nicky Henderson 1986 Arctic Beau 8 10-01 Richard Dunwoody John Thorne 1987 Gainsay 8 10-11 Mark Pitman Jenny Pitman 1988 Rinus 7 10-02 Richard Dunwoody Gordon W. Richards 1989 Travel Over 8 10-01 Mickey Hammond Monica Dickinson 1990 One More Knight 7 10-12 Luke Harvey Mrs I McKie 1991 Gold Options 9 11-10 Mark Dwyer Jimmy FitzGerald 1992 River Bounty 6 10-00 Robert Supple John Upson 1993 Black Humour 9 12-00 Graham Bradley Charlie Brooks 1994 Grange Brake 8 10-00 David Bridgwater Nigel Twiston-Davies 1995 Flash The Cash 9 10-03 Jamie Osborne Charles Egerton 1996 All For Luck 11 11-00 Jonothon Lower Martin Pipe 1997 Unguided Missile 9 12-00 Richard Dunwoody Gordon W. Richards 1998 Blue Charm 8 09-12 Mark Bradburne Sue Bradburne 1999 Edelweis Du Moulin 7 11-10 Richard Dunwoody Venetia Williams 2000 Radiation 7 10-02 Richie McGrath Jonjo O'Neill 2001 Kingsmark 8 12-00 Mick Fitzgerald Martin Todhunter 2002 Carbury Cross 8 11-02 Liam Cooper Jonjo O'Neill 2003 Master Tern 8 11-01 Tony Dobbin Jonjo O'Neill 2004 Lord of the River 12 10-00 Paul Carberry Nicky Henderson 2005 Sleeping Night 9 11-00 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2006 State of Play 6 10-02 Paul Moloney Evan Williams 2007 Reveillez 8 11-08 Tony McCoy James Fanshawe 2008 Oedipe 6 10-04 Andrew Tinkler Nicky Henderson 2009 Don't Push It 9 10–11 Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill 2010 From Dawn To Dusk 11 11-00 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2011 Prince De Beauchene 8 10-10 Paul Gallagher J Howard Johnson 2012 Saint Are 6 10–13 Dougie Costello Tim Vaughan 2013 Battle Group 8 10-09 Daryl Jacob Kevin Bishop 2014 Duke of Lucca 9 10-07 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2015 Duke of Lucca 10 10-04 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2016 Maggio 11 10-09 James Reveley Patrick Griffin 2017 Sizing Codelco 8 11-03 Robbie Power Colin Tizzard 2018 Thomas Patrick 6 10-10 Richard Johnson Tom Lacey 2019 Kildisart 7 11-12 Daryl Jacob Ben Pauling no race 2020 2021 Happygolucky 7 11-07 David Bass Kim Bailey 2022 Sam Brown 10 11-04 Aidan Coleman Anthony Honeyball 2023 Midnight River 8 11-07 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2024 Cruz Control 7 10-10 Stan Sheppard Tom Lacey 2025 Cruz Control 8 10-11 Stan Sheppard Tom Lacey
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,