Ultima Handicap Chase Tips 2024 – 2.50pm Day 1 Cheltenham Festival
2024 Ultima Handicap Chase betting tips, run over 3 miles 1 furlong on the Old Course at Prestbury Park, has the distinction of being the first of nine handicaps staged at the Cheltenham Festival.
Just two favourites – namely Wichita Lineman in 2009 and Coo Star Sivola in 2018 – have won since the turn of the century, but 15 winners in that period featured in the first five in the betting. That statistic alone suggests that, even at this relatively early stage, the head of the market is where we should be looking for a likely winner.
2.50pm – Ultima Handicap Chase Tip
The first handicap of the day sees a race that has been like a graveyard for Irish horses in the past. The last time an Irish-trained horse was successful in this race was 2006 and although they went as close as possible last year when Fastorslow was beaten a neck by Corach Rambler, it still remains a race dominated by the UK.
It might come as a surprise then that the top 2 in the market are both Irish-trained. Meetingofthewaters finds himself heading the betting due to the craziness of what the preview circuit brings as he was talked up as a future Gold Cup horse by Danny Mullins at a preview 2 weeks ago. He has since been bought by JP McManus and that cannot go unnoticed. He’s a horse I’ll be happy to take on though, especially at his current price.
My main focus for the race is always based around UK horses and I’m not going to change tact here. A competitive handicap like this, and with bookies paying extra places, makes it ok to have a couple of darts and that’s what I’ll be doing. Not only will I be backing 2 UK horses but I’ll be backing 2 UK horses form the same stable. CHIANTI CLASSICO has been my fancy for the race all winter and I see no reason to dessert now. Kim Bailey’s charge will be ridden by stable jockey David Bass and this has been the target for some time.
Stablemate TRELAWNE comes here with Cheltenham experience from this season and red-hot form at that. 3¾ lengths behind Turners fancies Grey Dawning and Ginnys Destiny and ahead of Plate favourite Crebilly represents strong and respected form. This horse can be a bit tricky and tends to make a mistake but the step up in trip to 3m will be a benefit. He acts on soft/heavy ground no problem and the booking of Harry Cobden is eye-catching and can only be a positive. Both horses have huge chances and I’m happy to back both in my Cheltenham day 1 tips.
- 2.50pm Tip: Chianti Classico (EW) 15/2 (Bet365) paying 6 places
- 2.50pm Tip: Trelawne (EW) 17/2 (William Hill) paying 6 places
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Ultima Handicap Chase Ante-post Tip 2024
10 Year Trends
- 8 of last 10 winners were aged 7-9 (Average Age is 8.1)
- Average Winning Rating: 145
- 10/10 were English Trained
- 9/10 wore Headgear
Traditionally, one race of the festival that the English can bank on winning is the opening Handicap on day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival, the 3m Ultima Chase. Keeping that streak alive will be more difficult this year as the majority of those currently guaranteed a run come from the Emerald Isle. Foremost among these is Current favourite The Goffer who looks to advertise the red hot form of last year’s race when 4th off a 2 pound lower mark. However, I am backing the English to get one on the board here with CHIANTI CLASSICO (8/1). This Kim Bailey trained 7-year novice has a similar profile to Happygolucky who was just touched off 2 years ago for the same connections and has managed to arrive here with a mark of 143, putting him firmly in line with recent trends. His jumping will allow him to be prominent and we can be sure of a positive ride from David Bass in the Saddle, something that, for me, is always desirable in a handicap chase around Cheltenham.
Selection: Chianti Classico at 8/1 with bet365’s Cheltenham offer.
Ultima Handicap Trends
- Age – 10 of the last 12 winners were aged 7-9
- Price – 2 of the last 12 favorites have won, 7/12 winners were in the top 3 in the betting
- Weights – 9 of the last 12 winners weighed between 10st 6lbs & 11st 8lbs
- Last Run – 7/12 winners at least placed on their last run before Cheltenham, 9/12 winners had their previous run within the last 45 days
- Previous Course Form – 9/12 winners had at least 3 previous runs at Cheltenham, 7/12 winners had a previous win at Cheltenham
- Previous Distance Form – 10/12 winners had at least 5 previous runs over at least 3 miles, 12/12 winners had at least 1 win in a race of 3 miles or more
- Previous Hurdle Form – 12/12 winners had at least 5 runs over hurdles, 12/12 had at least 1 previous win over hurdles
- Previous Chase Form – 10/12 winners had at least 5 previous chase runs, 11/12 winners had at least 1 previous chase win
- Rating – 11/12 winners had a rating of 132 or higher
- Season Form – 10/12 winners had at least 3 runs that season, 9/12 winners had at least 1 previous win that season
Cheltenham Day 1 Tips
*Click the race name to read our in-depth preview of the race with ante-post betting tips
| Race | Tip | ODDS |
|---|---|---|
| 1.30pm - Supreme Novice Hurdle | Slade Steel (EW) | 9/2 |
| 2.10pm - Arkle | Gaelic Warrior | 7/2 |
| 2.50pm - Ultima Handicap | Chianti Classico (EW) | 15/2 |
| Trelawne (EW) | 15/2 | |
| 3.30pm - Champion Hurdle | Iberico Lord W/O State Man AND Irish Point | 15/8 |
| 4.10pm - Mares' Hurdle | Telmesomethinggirl WITHOUT Lossiemouth AND Ashroe Diamond (EW) | 5/1 |
| 4.50pm - Boodles Fred Winter | Palamon (EW) | 20/1 |
| Ose Partir (EW) | 14/1 | |
| 5.30pm - National Hunt Chase | Salvador Ziggy | 11/2 |
Cheltenham Day 2 Tips
| Race | Tip | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1.30pm - Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle | Predators Gold (ew) | 10/1 Bet |
| 2.10pm - Brown Advisory Novice Chase | Fact to File | 10/11 |
| 2.50pm - Coral Cup | Guard Your Dreams (ew) | 25/1 |
| Brazil (ew) | 16/1 | |
| 3.30pm - Queen Mother Champion Chase | El Fabiolo double with Ballyburn (1.30pm) | 5/4 |
| 4.10pm - Cross Country Chase | Coko Beach | 4/1 |
| 4.50pm - Grand Annual Chase | Liberty Hunter (ew) | 13/2 |
| 5.30pm - Champion Bumper | C’est Ta Chance (ew) | 16/1 |
| Cantico (ew) | 12/1 |
Cheltenham Day 3 Tips
| Race | Tip | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1.30pm - Turners Novice Chase | Ginnys Destiny | 4/1 |
| 2.10pm - Pertemps Network Final | Cuthbertdibble | 9/1 |
| 2.50pm - Ryanair Chase | Stage Star | 9/2 |
| 3.30pm - Stayers Hurdle | Teahupoo | 7/4 |
| 4.10pm - Plate Handicap Chase | Theatre Man (ew) | 9/2 |
| 4.50pm - Mares Novice Hurdle | Brighterdaysahead | 13/8 |
| 5.30pm - Kim Muir Chase | Whacker Clan | 12/1 |
Cheltenham Day 4 Tips
| Race | Tip | Bet |
|---|---|---|
| 1.30pm - Triumph Hurdle | Majborough | 9/2 |
| 2.10pm - County Hurdle | King of Kingsfield | 5/1 |
| So Scottish (ew) | 14/1 | |
| 2.50pm - Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle | Gidleigh Park | 7/1 |
| 3.30pm - Cheltenham Gold Cup | Galopin Des Champs | 11/10 |
| 4.10pm - Festival Challenge Cup Hunters Chase | It's on the Line | 9/4 |
| Premier Magic | 13/2 | |
| 4.50pm - Paddy Power Mares Chase | Riviere D’Etel (each-way) | 20/1 |
| 5.30pm - Martin Pipe Hurdle | Better Days Ahead | 10/1 |
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