The Ryanair Chase is one of the premier races at the Cheltenham Festival, offering a Grade 1 contest over 2m 5f on the New Course. A key target for horses between the Champion Chase and Gold Cup distances, it attracts seasoned chasers with Grade 1-winning form. Below, we break down the key trends, past winners, and best bets for this year’s renewal.
📊 Key Trends & Winning Profile
✅ Course Form Matters: 🏇 13 of the last 17 winners had won at Cheltenham.
✅ Prominent Racers Do Best: 🚀 The last 11 winners either ‘made all’, ‘tracked leaders’, or were ‘prominent’.
✅ Festival Experience is Key: 🎭 Last 9 winners had run in at least two previous Festivals.
✅ Proven Chasers: 🔄 Seven of the last eight winners were at least third-season chasers.
✅ Season Form: 📉 None of the last 17 winners had more than four runs that season.
✅ Grade 1 Credentials: 🏆 13 of the last 17 winners had already won a Grade 1 race.
✅ Top-Rated Runners: 🔥 The last 15 winners were rated 161+, and those rated 170+ are 4 from 6.
✅ Irish Dominance: 🇮🇪 Irish-trained runners have won 7 of the last 9.
✅ French-Bred Horses Dominate: 🇫🇷 All of the last 11 winners were French-bred.
✅ Strong SP Market Position: 📈 12 of the last 13 winners were no bigger than 17/2.
✅ Recent Form Key: 🏆 Eight of the last 10 finished 1st or 2nd last time out in at least a Grade 2.
🏇 Recent Winners & Trends Analysis
📅 2025: TBD
📅 2024: Protektorat (10yo, OR 165, 17/2, D Skelton) – 3rd in Denman Chase (33 days prior)
📅 2023: Envoi Allen (9yo, OR 163, 13/2, H de Bromhead) – 7th in King George (80 days prior)
📅 2022: Allaho (8yo, OR 174, 4/7F, W Mullins) – 1st in G2 Thurles (53 days prior)
📅 2021: Allaho (7yo, OR 162, 3/1F, W Mullins) – 1st in G2 Thurles (50 days prior)
📅 2020: Min (9yo, OR 169, 2/1, W Mullins) – 2nd in G1 Dublin Chase (40 days prior)
📅 2019: Frodon (7yo, OR 169, 9/2, P Nicholls) – 1st in G2 Cotswold Chase (47 days prior)
🔍 Key Trends:
✅ Course form is vital – Cheltenham specialists excel.
✅ Proven Grade 1 ability is a must – 13 of the last 17 had already won at the top level.
✅ King George form is unreliable – Envoi Allen (2023) was the only recent winner to come from it.
✅ Front runners and prominent racers do well – The last 11 winners raced prominently.
✅ Irish trainers dominate – Seven of the last nine winners were from Ireland.
🎯 Expert Verdict: Who to Bet On?
✅ Look for horses aged 7-9 with top-class chase form.
✅ Course form is key – Previous Cheltenham winners are strongly favoured.
✅ Strong market position – Most winners were 17/2 or shorter.
✅ Recent Grade 1-2 form is important – The last 10 winners finished 1st or 2nd last time out.
✅ Avoid first-season chasers and those with too many runs this season.
📈 Best Bets for Ryanair Chase 2025 – Top Selections
| 🏇 Horse | 📉 Odds | 🎯 Trainer | 🔥 Age | 📊 OR | ⭐ RPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fact To File | 7/4 | W P Mullins | 8 | – | 175 |
| Il Est Francais | 4/1 | N George & A Zetterholm | 7 | – | 177 |
| Gaelic Warrior | 6/1 | W P Mullins | 7 | – | 176 |
| Protektorat | 7/1 | D Skelton | 10 | 165 | 176 |
| Banbridge | 8/1 | J P O’Brien | 9 | – | 178 |
| Spillane’s Tower | 8/1 | J J Mangan | 7 | – | 170 |
| Djelo | 12/1 | V Williams | 7 | 160 | 174 |
🔥 Fact To File (W P Mullins) – Has the class and ratings to win, but must handle Cheltenham.
💪 Il Est Francais (N George & A Zetterholm) – Highly rated, but first time at the Festival.
🚀 Gaelic Warrior (W P Mullins) – French-bred, ticks key trends, but slight stamina question.
🔍 Protektorat (D Skelton) – Defending champion but might be vulnerable to younger legs.
⚡ Banbridge (J P O’Brien) – Cheltenham form makes him a serious contender.
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