| Class | Grade 1 |
|---|---|
| Horse race | Betfair Chase |
| Location | Haydock Park Haydock, England |
| Inaugurated | 2005 |
| Race type | Steeplechase |
| Sponsor | Betfair |
| Website | Haydock Park |
| Distance | 3m 1f 125y (5,143 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 10 lb Allowances 7 lb for mares |
| Purse | £200,000 (2025) 1st: £112,540 |
|}
The Betfair Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of about 3 miles and 1½ furlongs (3 miles 1 furlong and 125 yards, or 5,143 metres), and during its running there are nineteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place in November each year.
History
The event was established in 2005, and it originally served as the first part of a bonus scheme called the Betfair Million. Its sponsor, Betfair, offered a sum of £1,000,000 to leading contenders for successful performances in two subsequent races.
The initial version of the Betfair Million was awarded if the winner of the Betfair Chase went on to win both the King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The Lexus Chase was included as an alternative second leg for the next two years, and Kauto Star won the prize by taking the original route in 2006–07. The format was changed in 2008–09, when the bonus became available to any first-three finisher achieving first or second at the Cheltenham Festival and then winning the Grand National.[1] The Betfair Million was dropped the following year. The £1,000,000 bonus returned as the "Chase Triple Crown" in 2015 when Jockey Club Racecourses offered it to any horse winning the race, the King George VI Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup.[2] Cue Card won the first two legs of the 2015–16 bonus but fell when in contention at Cheltenham.[3] Since 2016 the Kauto Star Trophy has been awarded to the owner of a horse completing the Chase Triple Crown.[4]
The Betfair Chase is familiarly known by its sponsored name, but its registered title is the Lancashire Chase. It is now the first Grade 1 event of the British National Hunt season. Prior to 2017 it was run over a distance of about 3 miles. The distance was increased to allow a longer run from the start to the first bend.[5]
The original Lancashire Chase was first run at Manchester Racecourse in 1884.[6]
Records
Most successful horse (4 wins):
- Kauto Star – 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011
Leading jockey (4 wins):
- Ruby Walsh – Kauto Star (2006, 2009, 2011), Silvianaco Conti (2012)
Leading trainer (6 wins):
- Paul Nicholls – Kauto Star (2006, 2007, 2009, 2011), Silvianaco Conti (2012, 2014)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Kingscliff | 8 | Robert Walford | Robert Alner |
| 2006 | Kauto Star | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2007 | Kauto Star | 7 | Sam Thomas | Paul Nicholls |
| 2008 | Snoopy Loopy | 10 | Seamus Durack | Peter Bowen |
| 2009 | Kauto Star | 9 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2010 | Imperial Commander | 9 | Paddy Brennan | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 2011 | Kauto Star | 11 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2012 | Silviniaco Conti | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2013 | Cue Card | 7 | Joe Tizzard | Colin Tizzard |
| 2014 | Silviniaco Conti | 8 | Noel Fehily | Paul Nicholls |
| 2015 | Cue Card | 9 | Paddy Brennan | Colin Tizzard |
| 2016 | Cue Card | 10 | Paddy Brennan | Colin Tizzard |
| 2017 | Bristol De Mai | 6 | Daryl Jacob | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 2018 | Bristol De Mai | 7 | Daryl Jacob | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 2019 | Lostintranslation | 7 | Robbie Power | Colin Tizzard |
| 2020 | Bristol De Mai | 9 | Daryl Jacob | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 2021 | A Plus Tard | 7 | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2022 | Protektorat | 7 | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
| 2023 | Royale Pagaille | 9 | Charlie Deutsch | Venetia Williams |
| 2024 | Royale Pagaille | 10 | Charlie Deutsch | Venetia Williams |
| 2025 | Grey Dawning | 8 | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
See also
References
- ^ "Betfair Million continues in different format". betfair.com. 22 April 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
- ^ "JCR unveils £1 million bonus for winning 'Chase Triple Crown'". The Jockey Club. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ^ "The £1million bonus Cue Card was unlucky not to win at the Cheltenham Festival returns for 2016/17". Gloucestershire Echo. Retrieved 19 November 2016.[dead link]
- ^ McFadden, Tony. "Kauto commemorated with Triple Crown trophy". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 20 November 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ^ Lees, Jon. "More staying power needed to win Betfair Chase as distance is increased". Racing Post. Archived 21 November 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
- ^ "Big Race History: Betfair Chase". Betfair. 15 November 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
- Racing Post:
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- pedigreequery.com – Lancashire Chase – Haydock Park.