tuesday's Races
wednesday's Races
thursday's Races
friday's Races
13:20Supreme Novices' Hurdle
14:00Arkle Chase
14:40Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
15:20Ultima Handicap Chase
16:00Champion Hurdle
16:40TrustATrader Festival Plate Handicap
17:20National Hunt Chase
13:20Turner's Novices' Hurdle
14:00Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
14:40BetMGM Cup Hurdle (Coral Cup)
15:20Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
16:00Champion Chase
16:40Grand Annual Chase
17:20Champion Bumper
Ryanair Chase
16:00 Cheltenham Festival
2026-03-12
Winner: £211,425
Runners: 7
Going: Good
No. of hurdles: 17
Distance:
The Ryanair Chase is the feature race on day three of the Cheltenham Festival. It is a Grade 1 contest over 2m4f and the championship contest for chasers whose optimum trip falls between that of the Champion Chase and Gold Cup. It has been won by stars such as Un De Sceaux, Vautour, and Min in recent seasons. Check the Ryanair Chase runners and riders ahead of the race and place your bets by clicking the odds buttons.
NO.DRAW
FORM
FORM
Sort by Saddle Number
HORSE
Sort by Horse Name
Predict the Winner
ODDS
Sort by Best Odds
JOCKEY& TRAINER
Sort by Trainer
AGE
Sort by Horse Age
WGT
Sort by Weight
OR
Sort by Official Rating
RPR
Sort by Racing Post Rating
1(0)
17-442
Banbridge
-
J: Sean Bowen
T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien
10
11-10
167
178
Won the Martin Pipe over hurdles at this meeting in 2022 as well as a novice chase here that year, but Kempton is where his heart lies, having won the Grade 1 King George (3m, good) in 2024 and gone desperately close in the same race (first-time visor, retained here) on Boxing Day; however, he's been beaten a long way out at the last two Festivals, in this race and the Gold Cup, and a flat track may now be ideal; has something to prove.
6(0)
2-2211
Jonbon
-
J: Nico de Boinville
T: Nicky Henderson
10
11-10
166
177
Has maintained an incredibly high standard in Grade 1s over 2m but, although he has won here, his rare reverses have come on this track; no longer quite the speedster he used to be at 2m and the extra stamina test was a help when winning at Ascot (about 2m5f, good to soft) last month, where he could have settled for second had his enduring will to win not come to his aid; now defends a strike-rate of 3-3 at about this trip but it remains to be seen whether he can rise to this very big occasion.
4(0)
2P-141
Heart Wood
-
J: Darragh O'Keeffe
T: Henry De Bromhead
8
11-10
162
170
Has yet to win at above Grade 3 level although he only just failed against Croke Park in a less competitive Grade 1 than this at Fairyhouse (2m4f, yielding) in December 2024; he enjoyed his front-running role when winning at Tramore (2m7f, soft) in January when never seriously challenged and it's likely he will be ridden more prominently today than when no match for Fact To File in this race (good to soft) last March; he will still do well to fend off that winner but another place is perfectly achievable.
7(0)
5-3321
JPR One
-
J: Brendan Powell
T: Joe Tizzard
9
11-10
160
168
Made short work of conceding plenty of weight in his first 2m4f chase - a Musselburgh handicap (good to soft) in January - and with his best sibling staying 3m well, there's a fair chance he'll cope with this much stiffer test at the trip; however, his three previous Festival runs, including a 2m handicap last year, suggest he'll be pushed to play a part in this company.
8(0)
-24725
Master Chewy
-
J: Sam Twiston-Davies
T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies
9
11-10
154
162
Finished a creditable close second of three finishers in a Grade 2 at Kempton (about 2m4f, good) in January but he's an infrequent winner and it's two years since he ran well in a Grade 1 (not far away when falling two out in the Arkle here, then touched off at Aintree); well adrift in this race last year and there's no reason to expect much better today.
9(0)
-73315
Matata
-
J: J J Slevin
T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies
8
11-10
160
169
Nearly all races at around 2m1f and the step up to 2m4f was clearly a stretch behind Jonbon in an Aintree Grade 1 last April; coped better with the trip when a convincing winner of a C&D handicap (good; has won on soft) in January but a lesser effort followed at Windsor and he aims a lot higher here.
NR(0)
1-4261
Fact To File
-
T: W P Mullins
9
11-10
173
181
He's run at the last three Festivals, finishing runner-up in the bumper, winning the Brown Advisory novice chase (about 3m) and at the peak of his powers when beating Heart Wood in this race last year (good to soft); had an undesirably hard race when narrowly beaten by Gaelic Warrior at Punchestown in November and he was never on his game in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day; however, he looked his old self for the first time this winter when beating a top-class field in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown (about 3m, soft) in February and looks set fair to dominate today's opposition.
NR(0)
7-3330
Croke Park
-
T: Gordon Elliott
8
11-10
150
156
Two Grade 1 wins as a novice chaser last season, over 2m4f (yielding) and about 3m (good to yielding), but nothing he's achieved this winter, behind Heart Wood on two occasions, and in a Leopardstown handicap last month, suggests he can play a part on these unfavourable terms.
5(0)
131-B1
Impaire Et Passe
-
J: Paul Townend
T: W P Mullins
8
11-10
161
172
A fine hurdler whose three Grade 1 wins included the Ballymore at this meeting in 2023; has reached the same standard over fences, winning at the top level at Aintree (about 2m4f, good to soft; first-time cheekpieces) last April, and he was ultimately quite convincing in a tactical race at Gowran (about 2m3f, heavy) last month; his form doesn't yet match that of stablemate Fact To File but he is considered for a place.
RACING POST TIP
Fact To File
It was thrilling to see the way FACT TO FILE motored down to two out here last year and there was nothing to touch him thereafter, so hopefully he will again give the fans one of the great sights of the meeting. As Banbridge is by no means sure to repeat his fine Kempton form back on this track, it may be Jonbon who provides the main danger. In the same ownership as the selection, a thoroughly sportsmanlike decision to take part adds a good deal to a race that was threatening to become lopsided and this former champion two-miler should give a good account over a trip that suits him better these days. Heart Wood is likely to be ridden more prominently than when giving vain chase to Fact To File last year, and may benefit from it, so he can also be a factor, with Impaire Et Passe not far away either.
Cheltenham Free Bets
No offers to show
Cheltenham Festival Tips
2026 Cheltenham Festival tips from Racing Post Experts
RYANAIR CHASE PREVIOUS WINNERS
| Year | Horse | Previous Form | Age | Price | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2025 | Fact to File | 11-123 | 8 | 6/4F | Willie Mullins | Mark Walsh |
| 2024 | Potektorat | 5-4323 | 9 | 17-2 | Dan Skelton | Harry Skelton |
| 2023 | Envoi Allen | -317 | 9 | 13-2 | Henry de Bromhead | Rachael Blackmore |
| 2022 | Allaho | 112-11 | 8 | 4-7F | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2021 | Allaho | 13-641 | 7 | 3-1F | Willie Mullins | Rachael Blackmore |
| 2020 | Min | 512-12 | 9 | 2-1 | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2019 | Frodon | 0-1211 | 7 | 9-2 | Paul NIcholls | Bryony Frost |
| 2018 | Balko Des Flos | 3-1232 | 7 | 8-1 | Henry de Bromhead | Davy Russell |
| 2017 | Un De Sceaux | 216-11 | 9 | 7-4F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2016 | Vautour | 211-12 | 7 | EvensF | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2015 | Uxizandre | 1-418U | 7 | 16-1 | Alan King | Tony McCoy |
RYANAIR CHASE KEY TRENDS AND STATS
Key trends
- No more than four runs since October, 10/10
- Rated within 6lb of RPR top-rated, 10/10
- Top-two finish in at least one of last two starts, 10/10
- Adjusted RPR of at least 171, 10/10
- No more than 12 runs over fences, 7/10
- Course winner, 8/10
Other factors
- Eight winners had recorded a top-four finish in a Grade 1 or 2 chase over 3m-plus.
- The first five winners (2005-2009) had either won or been placed in the Paddy Power Gold Cup or December Gold Cup. However, 2019 winner Frodon is the only one in the last ten years to have run in those races.
Check out all of our latest Cheltenham Free Bets ahead of placing your bets on the 2026 Ryanair Chase
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - RYANAIR CHASE 2026
Fact To File proved a class apart for Willie Mullins, Mark Walsh and JP McManus in the Ryanair Chase. A winner of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase the previous year, Fact To File arrived with strong credentials and ran out an impressive winner by nine lengths. His main market rival Il Est Francais disappointed in sixth.