The Jack Richards Limited Handicap Novices’ Chase 2025 marks the return of a competitive novice handicap chase to the Cheltenham Festival after a five-year hiatus. This race replaces the old Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase (last run in 2020), which has produced future stars such as Imperial Aura and A Plus Tard.
With a £125,000 prize fund, it will likely attract a blend of improving novice chasers and horses with Graded form just below top level.
📊 Key Trends & Winning Profile
✅ Recent Form: 🔥 13 of the last 16 winners won or finished second last time out.
✅ Chase Experience Crucial: 🏇 12 of the last 13 winners had run 3–4 times over fences.
✅ Limited Chase Wins: 🎯 15 of the last 16 winners had won no more than two chase races.
✅ Trip Stamina Test: 🏆 The race distance of 2m 4½f places a premium on stamina – proven form over this trip is crucial.
✅ Age Profile: 🧑🦱 12 of the last 16 winners were aged 6 or 7.
✅ January Form Guide: 📅 4 of the last 8 winners contested the January Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.
✅ Experience Ceiling: ❌ Horses with 13+ chase runs are 0-129 – lightly raced chasers hold the edge.
✅ Class Edge: 🏅 Horses rated 142–155 have a strong record.
✅ Big-Field Experience: 🏇 Horses with experience in fields of 12+ runners tend to perform well.
🏇 Recent Winners & Trends Analysis
| Year | Winner | Age | OR | SP | Trainer | Jockey | Last Race |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Imperial Aura | 7 | 143 | 4/1 | K Bailey | D Bass | 2nd Warwick (32) |
| 2019 | A Plus Tard | 5 | 144 | 5/1 | H De Bromhead | R Blackmore | 2nd Leopardstown (45) |
| 2018 | Mister Whitaker | 6 | 137 | 13/2 | M Channon | B Hughes | 1st Carlisle (28) |
| 2017 | Tully East | 7 | 138 | 8/1 | A Fleming | D Russell | 4th Leopardstown (39) |
| 2016 | Ballyalton | 9 | 140 | 12/1 | I Williams | B Geraghty | 2nd Warwick (24) |
🔍 Key Takeaways:
✅ Proven form over 2m4f is critical.
✅ Horses rated between 138–155 have the best strike rate.
✅ Lightly raced novices with 3–4 chase runs are key.
✅ The market is usually a decent guide – no winner in the last 10 years bigger than 12/1.
✅ Horses that won or placed last time out are preferred.
✅ Five-year-olds struggle unless particularly well-handicapped.
🎯 Expert Verdict: Who to Bet On?
The key profile is a 6 or 7-year-old, with strong recent form over a similar trip, rated between 138 and 155. Horses with experience in big fields and at Cheltenham (or similarly undulating tracks) are particularly strong contenders.
📈 Best Bets for Jack Richards Limited Handicap Novices’ Chase 2025 – Top Selections
| 🏇 Horse | 📉 Odds | 🎯 Trainer | 🔥 Age | 📊 OR | ⭐ RPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurburgring | 13/2 | J P O’Brien | 5 | 143 | 143 |
| Firefox | 15/2 | Gordon Elliott | 7 | 150 | 155 |
| Asian Master | 8/1 | W P Mullins | 8 | 144 | 154 |
| Springwell Bay | 10/1 | Jonjo O’Neill | 8 | 154 | 160 |
| Pic Roc | 12/1 | Ben Pauling | 7 | 137 | 161 |
✅ Nurburgring (13/2)
- ✅ 143 OR – Ideal for this race.
- ✅ Strong novice chase form in Ireland.
- ✅ Lightly raced – Open to improvement.
- ✅ Age is a slight negative at 5 but the class is clear.
💪 Verdict: Solid contender – ticks most of the key trends.
✅ Firefox (15/2)
- ✅ Trained by Gordon Elliott – Excellent Cheltenham record.
- ✅ 150 OR – High-class handicap mark.
- ✅ Big-field form – Placed in strong Irish novice chases.
- ✅ Proven over 2m4f+.
💪 Verdict: Top class – Looks the most likely winner.
✅ Asian Master (8/1)
- ✅ Trained by W P Mullins – The master of Festival winners.
- ✅ 144 OR – Perfectly placed in the handicap.
- ✅ Proven over trip and in big fields.
- ✅ Top RPR of 154 – Among the highest in the field.
💪 Verdict: Well-handicapped and solid form – Big player.
✅ Springwell Bay (10/1)
- ✅ 154 OR – Joint top-rated in the field.
- ✅ Placed in a Graded novice chase – Strong form.
- ✅ Unexposed over fences – Open to further improvement.
💪 Verdict: Could be very well-handicapped.
✅ Pic Roc (12/1)
- ✅ Lightly raced novice – Ideal profile.
- ✅ 137 OR – Well-handicapped.
- ✅ Proven over 2m4f – Stamina confirmed.
- ✅ Ben Pauling’s yard is in excellent form.
💪 Verdict: Great each-way value.
🚫 Runners to Avoid
❌ O’Moore Park (14/1) – Recent form poor – Beaten in weak races.
❌ Lord Of Thunder (18/1) – Lacks experience over fences.
❌ Es Perfecto (33/1) – Too old at 10 – Trends favour younger horses.
❌ Shanbally Kid (33/1) – OR of 129 is too low for this level.
❌ Ryan’s Rocket (33/1) – OR too low and inconsistent.
💰 Each-Way Value
➡️ Pic Roc (12/1) – Progressive novice – Unexposed over trip.
➡️ Asian Master (8/1) – Class form, could improve further.
➡️ Springwell Bay (10/1) – Ideal OR, big-field form.
✅ Best Trend Fit: Firefox
✅ Perfect age profile.
✅ OR of 150 – Ideal for a novice handicap.
✅ Experience in Irish Graded races.
✅ Strong form over 2m4f.
🏆 Top Selection: Firefox – Best profile fit and ideal OR.
💼 Best Each-Way Bet: Pic Roc – Well-handicapped and improving.
🚀 Dark Horse: Asian Master – W P Mullins factor in play.
📩 Stay Updated with Cheltenham Festival Insights
At PuntHub, we provide free expert Cheltenham tips and in-depth previews across all Festival races. As trends emerge in future renewals of the Jack Richards Limited Handicap Novices’ Chase, we will refine our analysis to give you sharper betting insights.