Festival Trophy Handicap Chase

The Festival Trophy is a Grade 3 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 (5,029 metres), 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.

Festival Trophy
Grade 3 race
LocationCheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham, England
Race typeSteeplechase
SponsorUltima Business Solutions
WebsiteCheltenham
Race information
Distance3m 1f (5,029 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFive-years-old and up
WeightHandicap
Purse£110,000 (2019)
1st: £61,897
Festival Trophy Handicap Chase
2020
The Conditional Kildisart Discorama

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.

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 and Rough Quest.

Records

Most successful horse since 1946 (2 wins):

  • Sentina – 1957, 1958
  • Scot Lane – 1982, 1983
  • Un Temps Pour Tout – 2016, 2017

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)

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)

Winners since 1946
Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer
1946 Dunnshaughlin 8 10-10 Bobby O'Ryan Charles Rogers
1947 no race 1947 [lower-alpha 1]
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[lower-alpha 2] Vincent O'Brien
1953 Four Ten 7 10-07 Tommy Cusack John Roberts
1954 Holly Bank 7 10–13 Peter Brookshaw[lower-alpha 2] 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 [lower-alpha 3]
1979 Fair View 9 10-04 Ridley Lamb George Fairbairn
1980 Again the Same 7 11-01 Jim Wilson[lower-alpha 2] 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 [lower-alpha 4]
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
  1. The 1947 running was abandoned due to snow and frost
  2. amateur jockey
  3. The 1978 edition was cancelled because of snow
  4. It was abandoned in 2001 because of a foot-and-mouth crisis

See also

References
    • pedigreequery.com – William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase – Cheltenham.
    • racenewsonline.co.uk – Racenews Archive (21 February 2008).
    • Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 63. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.
    • Race Recordings
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