2026 Ultima Handicap

[Eggs]

ENTRIES 17th FEBRUARY, WEIGHTS 24th FEBRUARY (any horse with a win after 22nd Feb onward set to carry a 5lb penalty).


CHELTENHAM
Tuesday, March 10th

THE ULTIMA HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1)
(Premier Hcap)

for five yrs old and upwards
THREE MILES ABOUT ONE FURLONG (3m 1f)

PLEASE NOTE: A novice horse shall only be qualified to run in this race if it has run a minimum of four times in Steeple Chases in Great Britain, Ireland or France in accordance with paragraph 15 of the Weights and Handicapping Code

Last 10 Year Winners;

2025 Myretown 8-10-3 13/2F Lucinda Russell - Patrick Wadge RPR 145 (OR 127)

2024 Chianti Classico 7-11-4. 6/1Kim Bailey - David Bass. RPR 155

2023 Corach Rambler 9-11-5. 6/1JF Lucinda Russell - Derek Fox. RPR 159 (OR 146)

2022 Corach Rambler. 8-10-2. 10/1 Lucinda Russell - Derek Fox. RPR 151 (OR 140)

2021 Vintage Clouds 11-10-11 28/1 Sue Smith - Ryan Mania RPR 155 (OR 143)

2020 The Conditional. 8-10-6. 15/2. David Bridgwater - Brendan Powell. RPR 148 (OR 139)

2019 Beware The Bear. 9-11-8. 10/1. Nicky Henderson - Jeremiah McGrath. RPR 161 (OR 151)

2018. Coo Star Sivola. 6-10-10. 5/1F. Nick Williams - Lizzie Kelly (3). RPR 151 (OR 142)

2017. Un Temps Pour Tout 8-11-12. 9/1. David Pipe - Tom Scudamore. RPR 163 (OR 155)

2016. Un Temps Pour Tout 7-11-7 11/1. David Pipe - Tom Scudamore. RPR 163 (OR 148)

2015. The Druids Nephew. 8-11-3. 8/1. Neil Mulholland - Barry Geraghty. RPR 158 (OR 146)

2014. Holywell. 7-11-6. 10/1. Jonjo O'Neill - Richie McLernon. RPR 163 (OR 145)


2025 1st OR 127, 2nd OR 140, 3rd OR 142, 4th OR 140 (High OR 152; Low OR 127) 24 ran
2024 1st OR 143, 2nd OR 143, OR 147, 4th 139 (High OR 153, Low OR 134). 21 Ran
2023 1st OR 146, 2nd OR 150, 3rd OR 140, 4th OR 149 (High OR 155, Low OR 129) 23 ran
2022 1st OR 140, 2nd OR 138, 3rd OR 138, 4th OR 145 (High OR 164, Low OR 138) 24 ran
2021 1st OR 143, 2nd OR 147, 3rd OR 154, 4th OR 158 (High OR 158, Low OR 132) 16 ran
2020 1st OR 139, 2nd OR 150, 3rd OR 148, 4th OR 159 (High OR 159, Low OR 133). 23 ran
2019 1st OR 151, 2nd OR 144, 3rd OR 155, 4th OR 140 (High OR 155, Low OR 140). 24 ran
2018 1st OR 142, 2nd OR 152, 3rd OR 131, 4th OR 150 (High OR 155, Low OR 137). 18 ran
2017 1st OR 155, 2nd OR 142, 3rd OR 154, 4th OR 145 (High OR 155, Low OR 134). 23 ran
2016 1st OR 148, 2nd OR 153, 3rd OR 149, 4th OR 150 (High OR 153, Low OR 131). 23 ran
2015 1st OR 146, 2nd OR 143, 3rd OR 134, 4th OR 139 (High OR 155, Low OR 133). 24 ran
2014 1st OR 145, 2nd OR 143, 3rd OR 131, 4th OR 143 (High OR 151, Low OR 129). 23 ran
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…..2026 TREND ANALYSIS;

Five of the last 12 ran in the Newbury Ladbroke/Coral Chase. Six others were novices.​

Seven of the last 11 ran at Cheltenham that season. Two others had previously run in this.​

Nine of the last 13 ran at a previous Festival. Three others had placed course chase form that season.​

Lucinda Russell's last three runners in this all won.​

14 of the last 15 winners no older than nine years​

15 of the last 18 won by either novices or second season chasers​

Six of the last eight GB-trained winning novices had all won a hurdle with a first prize of at least £10k​

All winners this century had recorded their best RPR over at least 3 miles​

Only two and a half winning favourites since 1994​

Irish trained 0 from 51 since 2006. P Nicholls is yet to win​

Two repeat winners in the last 10​

10 of the last 13 rated between 139 and 151​

Since 2017 only two placed horses aged older than 9 yrs​

Corach Rambler in 2022 first since 1997 with a letter as previous run - U.​

21 from the last 24 no more than one career fall​

None of the last four winners wore any sort of headgear.​

Brendan Powell (2013) and Lizzie Kelly (2018) only claimers to ride winner since 1990.​

Summary​

Race distance - 3 miles and about one furlong. No older than 9 yrs or first time blinkers and placed in this before. Will have run before at the Festival and/or will be 7 or 8 yrs and improving i.e. with a rising handicap rating. Winner’s handicap rating should be at least 139. Will have recorded their best Racing Post Rating over at least 3 miles. Will have already won at least a Class 3 chase. May have ran in the Newbury Coral Cup or is a novice. If a GB novice, should have won a hurdle worth at least £10k to the winner. Has won over 3 miles or at least placed over 3 miles in two of last three runs. Will have run between 3 and 12 times over fences in GB and/or Ireland. Will have run at least twice this season. Will have been 1<strong>st</strong> or 2<strong>nd</strong> sometime this season or a previous winner. Winners over 11st becoming a bit more frequent. Any price. Very unlikely to have already won a Graded chase. Winner wasn't unplaced in this years 3m Kempton Chase on Adonis day. Has run in the last 60 days. P Nicholls and W Mullins poor enough records. Any GB trainer can win this. A novice or wearing some type of headgear, check for first time. Irish trained don't win but get placed. No F, R or B as last form entry. Not a claiming jockey. Half a furlong longer in distance from 2014. Repeat win/place gettable. Not more than one career fall. Check those 7lb or more under their hurdle mark. No chestnuts. Watch for well punted from Pond House.

Please remember novices now need 4 chase runs to qualify.

 

[Eggs]

Reserved for entries and weights.

 

[EnvoiAlien]

After that run in the Denman I'd look to cover Leave Of Absence if he turned up here, plenty of course experience too.

 

[Kauto’s star]

After that run in the Denman I'd look to cover Leave Of Absence if he turned up here, plenty of course experience too.

A classy animal imo. Ground is important to him. If it’s good to soft ish he will be much better than today I think.

 

[Pigeon Island]

Looks like this is going to be The Wallparks only conceivable option if the English handicapper keeps him above 145…….. having already done Myretown and Jagwar think I will have to get the missus to get him added at 10/1 NRNB with her 365 account.

 

[Pigeon Island]

Oh….. just seen he’s 25/1 without the insurance of NRNB, that seems a big price, he was very eye catching yesterday!!! Have now split my stakes including the bigger price

 

[Runragged]

Looks like this is going to be The Wallparks only conceivable option if the English handicapper keeps him above 145…….. having already done Myretown and Jagwar think I will have to get the missus to get him added at 10/1 NRNB with her 365 account.

If he doesn't get the mark they want then he could skip Cheltenham altogether and target the Irish National

 

[TonyGalopin]

If he doesn't get the mark they want then he could skip Cheltenham altogether and target the Irish National

I wouldn't be surprised if that's been the plan all along tbf

 

[jrjr]

Wonder if being a JP horse will have a bearing on skipping the festival. Even if Gordon wants to, I’m not so sure JP will agree - possibly depends on what the UK tax is.

 

[Lobos]

While Myretown holds a Cheltenham Gold Cup entry, he could try to emulate Corach Rambler. He won a second Ultima at the festival before landing the Aintree showpiece.

Scudamore said: "Corach Rambler did Cheltenham and Aintree. If the gap was right, we could look to do the two festivals again, but Aintree's very much in the back of our minds.

"As regards the National, we're currently 3-4lb short of where you'd like to be, and we've got to roll the dice in getting a run into him before the weights. We've got a nice opportunity to do that."

 

[Quevega]

While Myretown holds a Cheltenham Gold Cup entry, he could try to emulate Corach Rambler. He won a second Ultima at the festival before landing the Aintree showpiece.

Scudamore said: "Corach Rambler did Cheltenham and Aintree. If the gap was right, we could look to do the two festivals again, but Aintree's very much in the back of our minds.

"As regards the National, we're currently 3-4lb short of where you'd like to be, and we've got to roll the dice in getting a run into him before the weights. We've got a nice opportunity to do that."

Typical

The whole article tells how keen they are to run this weekend and get a hike so they can run in the National.
Nothing to stop him still running in the Ultima if they want though.
I'm not sure what Ultima backers would want when he runs at the weekend ?
Always tricky this time of year when playing the handicaps.

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[ComplyOrDie]

Typical

The whole article tells how keen they are to run this weekend and get a hike so they can run in the National.
Nothing to stop him still running in the Ultima if they want though.
I'm not sure what Ultima backers would want when he runs at the weekend ?
Always tricky this time of year when playing the handicaps.

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Not ideal, from a backer of him in the Ultima.

Will wait to see if he runs before deciding on what to do with my bets on him for the Ultima. Likely will cash one of them though.

 

[jrjr]

Typical

The whole article tells how keen they are to run this weekend and get a hike so they can run in the National.
Nothing to stop him still running in the Ultima if they want though.
I'm not sure what Ultima backers would want when he runs at the weekend ?
Always tricky this time of year when playing the handicaps.

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As an Ultima backer, an unseat at the first would be fine.

 

[Eggs]

…TWAGN might be a decent option if they need a hike.

 

[Lobos]

Not like he's had a tough season so far ( 1 1/2 races) so the extra run wouldn't worry me at all. Hoping of course that should he win it isn't too convincing !

 

[Lobos]

As an Ultima backer, an unseat at the first would be fine.

Wouldn't want that at all. That'll be pushing Constitution Hill standard jumping.

 

[ComplyOrDie]

Not like he's had a tough season so far ( 1 1/2 races) so the extra run wouldn't worry me at all. Hoping of course that should he win it isn't too convincing !

Yeah, just 3m4f, just 3 1/2 weeks away would not be ideal.

If it's Good/Soft it may not be too bad, but it looks like it is wet up there all day tomorrow, most of Thursday and Friday morning too.

 

[Eggs]

….Ladbrokes ‘Getaprice Special’, Jipcot Ultima 33-1 (AP).

 

[jrjr]

Wouldn't want that at all. That'll be pushing Constitution Hill standard jumping.

I see what you're saying, but, as a backer, I'd definitely not want:

1, a really hard race over that distance, this close to the festival
2, him bolting up and being raised a chunk of weight
3, him falling and potentially picking up an injury or something that might interrupt his training

Assuming he's going to be trying to win to get into the National, then I'd also not want him running poorly as it would temper enthusiasm as to his current form. To be honest, I don't really want a festival horse trying to win a race this close to the festival. However, I'm stuck with my bet and ruling all the above out, a gentle unseat early on, through some innocuous mishap, would be my preference,

 

[ComplyOrDie]

I see what you're saying, but, as a backer, I'd definitely not want:

1, a really hard race over that distance, this close to the festival
2, him bolting up and being raised a chunk of weight
3, him falling and potentially picking up an injury or something that might interrupt his training

Assuming he's going to be trying to win to get into the National, then I'd also not want him running poorly as it would temper enthusiasm as to his current form. To be honest, I don't really want a festival horse trying to win a race this close to the festival. However, I'm stuck with my bet and ruling all the above out, a gentle unseat early on, through some innocuous mishap, would be my preference,

With a bit of luck the weather will do us a favour and they'll not want to run in a bog!