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Cheltenham Festival: National Hunt Handicap Chase Betting Tips

The Ultima Handicap Chase is the first handicap of the Cheltenham Festival — and it is a red-hot contest this year.

It has been won by the likes of Grand National winner Corach Rambler in recent years and is frequently a launchpad for top chasers. Multiple Grade 1 winner Fastorslow was even beaten in the race two years ago.

A field of 24 will go to post for Tuesday's 14:40 race. Here are three to keep in mind, including one at huge odds.

NAP: Whistle Stop Tour @ 17/2

Lucinda Russell has a strong association with the Ultima, having sent out Corach Rambler to win consecutive renewals in 2022 and 2023, after the second of which he won the Grand National.

She is represented this year by Whistle Stop Tour, who is seriously unexposed yet has all the relevant experience you could want.

He won twice in the north once upped to staying trips in December and January, then was sent to Cheltenham to scope out the course.

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That was in the 2m 4½f Novices’ Handicap Chase on Trials Day, which was not run to suit. It was over an inadequate trip and was also run at a muddling pace.

Whistle Stop Tour had no chance from back in the field but he took to Cheltenham well enough and finished fifth.

Back up in distance now, he can regain the progressive thread and continue his march on to the Scottish Grand National, which looks a natural spring target.

NB: Katate Dori @ 6/1

If you want unexposed, and in the Ultima you generally do, then it does not get much better than a horse that had never jumped a fence in public until 70 days ago.

Katate Dori's rise has been meteoric and you have to conclude probably planned to some extent by his canny trainer Sam Thomas.

This horse won at Exeter on New Year's Day, then made light of a penalty at Chepstow a few days later.

He ran in quite a valuable race at Wincanton, where his inexperience caught him out but he still finished second.

Then he went in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Kempton. He turned that red-hot handicap into a rout, easing clear to win by 15 lengths.

A 12lbs rise in the weights is fully warranted and there are more big pots to be won with Katate Dori this spring.

Also consider: Grandeur D'Ame @ 25/1

The only thing missing from Katate Dori's profile is Cheltenham form, at least over fences.

Grandeur D'Ame fills that brief and is expected to outrun huge odds at a track that so clearly suits him.

Although he has not won here, in his three completed starts over fences at the track Grandeur D'Ame has finished fourth, fifth and second, all in Premier Handicaps.

This is another one of those, although the fact it is over a longer trip is to his benefit: this horse is stoutly bred and has long since looked worth trying at three miles.

He certainly was not stopping when he finished second here over 2m 4½f on Trials Day, chasing home the unexposed Moon D'Orange.

If the step up in distance unlocks more from him, as it should, Grandeur D'Ame is no outsider.

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Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation

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