National Hunt Chase Odds, Tips, Free Bets & Betting Offers
Craig Jones
The curtain comes down on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival with the 2025 National Hunt Chase, a race the Irish have won for seven of the last eight years.
But now this race will be run as a handicap for the first time, which could completely change the complex of it, one of many changes to the festival in a bid to try and improve field sizes.
Read on for National Hunt Chase betting odds, tips and Cheltenham free bets.
| Race Details | |
|---|---|
| When: | Tuesday, March 11th - 5:20pm |
| Winner’s Prize: | £60,388 |
| Distance: | Three-miles & five-and-a-half furlongs |
| Race Type: | Chase |
| Age: | 5-Years+ |
| Course | Old Course |
| Weights: | 11st 4lbs (5yo), 11st 6lbs (6yo+), 7lb allowance for mares |
| Where to Watch? | Racing TV, Bookmaker Streams |
National Hunt Chase Betting Offers & Tips
Below we have some great free bets and offers from leading bookmakers, which can be used on the Cheltenham Festival.
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National Hunt Chase Betting Odds
A far more open feel to the race, as you can see with the latest National Hunt Chase odds, there's plenty in with chances, much more so than in recent years.
But there's been a favourite for some time now, with betting sites having Now Is The Hour to the front of the market in recent weeks.
But there's plenty behind him with chances, Haiti Couleurs and Transmission are two that have certainly shown the right kind of profile for a race of this nature.
National Hunt Chase Tips
To round off our Cheltenham day 1 tips, Charlie McCann has two in the National Hunt Chase.
Charlie McCann - Transmission (Each-Way) (Antepost) & Gericault Roque (Each-Way)
I have recommended TRANSMISSION (Each-Way) (5 places) in the NH Chase at 9/1 last month, so we are on good terms with ourselves given he is a top price of 11/2 at the time of writing.
In an ideal world, I would prefer a right-hand track as the selection does jump slightly out to his right, but he has been campaigned exclusively at Cheltenham this season with this race as the sole objective. The bet365 Gold Cup looks like an ideal end-of-season target.
Patrick Mullins was in the saddle when they combined to score in an amateur riders’ race back in the autumn, and the crack amateur is back in the plate with James Bowen, who would have taken the ride, sadly suspended.
The selection was a never nearer second to Haiti Couleurs here in December, but he looks sure to appreciate the step up in trip and is 4lbs better off with the selection. I am a fully paid-up member of the Haiti Couleurs fan club, but I think Transmission is the guaranteed stayer, although we won’t know until about half-five!
I am also going to back GERICAULT ROQUE (Each-Way), who I thought ran a terrific race at Windsor, returning from a 738-day absence at Windsor back in January when he jumped and travelled like a class act before lack of race fitness took its toll.
The British have not saddled the winner of the race since 2019.
The David Pipe-trained nine-year-old, who remains a maiden over fences after seven chase starts – four 2nd places and three 3rd places – finished second to Corach Rambler in the Ultima on the corresponding day in 2022, and he is 7lbs lower in the weights this afternoon.
Recommendations: Transmission (Each-Way) - 9/1 (5 places) & Gericault Roque (Each-Way) - 9/1 with Unibet (5 places)
What Happened Last Year?
Irish runner Corbetts Cross took the 2024 National Hunt Chase in great style for Emmet Mullins to close day one of the meeting.
National Hunt Chase Key Race Stats
- 11 of the last 13 winners were aged between 7 and 9
- Patrick Mullins has ridden the winner of the race four times in the last 10 years
- 14 of the last 17 winners had previously won at least once over three miles
Previous Winners of the National Hunt Chase
Check out the last five winners of the National Hunt Chase in the table below.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Corbetts Cross |
| 2023 | Gaillard Du Mesnil |
| 2022 | Stattler |
| 2021 | Galvin |
| 2020 | Ravenhill |
FAQs
How can I watch the National Hunt Chase online?
The National Hunt Chase closes day one of the Cheltenham Festival. Not broadcast on ITV Racing, you can watch this race on Racing TV or with your bookmaker, where live streams of the action will be available.
What time is the Cheltenham National Hunt Chase?
The National Hunt Chase is the final race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival, with the race due off at 5:20pm.
More Cheltenham Tips
Check out our tips for all the other Cheltenham Day 1 races:
Latest Betting Offers
Check the latest free bets and betting offers from the best betting sites in the UK at Freebets.com.
