The St James's Place Festival Hunters’ Chase is run over 3 miles 2½ furlongs
on the New Course at Cheltenham and is open to horses aged five years
and upwards. The race is run over the same course and distance as the
Cheltenham Gold Cup and is currently scheduled as the sixth race on
the fourth, and final, day of the Cheltenham Festival, immediately
following the “Blue Riband” event.
However, the Festival Hunters’ Chase is restricted to amateur jockeys and horses that have won two
point-to-point races, finished first or second in two hunter chases
or won one point-to-point race and finished first or second in one
hunter chase, within a specified period. Point-to-point racing takes
place on a variety of set, cross-country courses throughout the
country, while hunter chases are run under the rules of racing, but
both are restricted to horses that have hunted during the current
hunting season.
Several horses have won
the St James's Place Festival Hunters’ Chase twice, including
On The Fringe (2015, 2016) and Pacha du Polder – (2017, 2018) but, since World War II, no horse has won
three times. Trainer Richard Barber saddled Rushing Wild (1992),
Fantus (1995 & 1997) and Earthmover (1998) for a total of four
wins, Paul Nicholls is also on four wins, while Colman Sweeney rode Sleeping Night (2005) and Salsify
(2012 & 2013) for a total of three wins.
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