NH Challenge Cup

A steeple chase over 4 miles for amateur riders only.

National Hunt Chase Trends

10/10	had ran at least three times over fences
10/10	had finished first or second in a chase over at least three miles
9/10	had finished in the first four last time out
9/10	had won over at least 3miles (hurdles or fences)
8/10	were aged seven or eight
6/10	had no more than five races over fences

National Hunt Chase Analysis

Stamina is obviously the key here but the question is how to ascertain if your selection is likely to stay this marathon trip at what is likely to be an early stage of a steeplechase career?

A good stat to concentrate on is when horses have had form over three miles and further over hurdles as these are more likely to translate that stamina from the smaller obstacles to this extreme distance over fences.

Also, look out for a high stamina index in the sire of your selection. For example, the 2009 winner Tricky Trickster was sired by Oscar who has an index of 15.2f. The higher this figure is the greater the influence of stamina. Look for sires around the 12/13f figure or above .

Despite Chicago Grey's victory last year as favourite the market leader tends to have a poor record in this race with the last outright favourite before Chicago Grey winning in 1992!

Other information to note is the great records of owner JP McManus (four winners in the race) and of trainer Jonjo O’Neill who has won this race an amazing four times in the last ten years (as well as also winning the race in 1995!)

On the other end of the scale is the surprisingly poor record of Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls who has not managed one placed horse in the last ten years from ten runners.

National Hunt Chase Last Ten Winners

Table below shows the last ten winners of the race, their age at the time of winning, trainer, jockey and odds

Year	Horse	Age	Trainer	Jockey	Price
2011	Chicago Grey	8yo	G Elliott	Mr Derek OConnor	5/1F
2010	Poker De Sivola	7yo	F Murphy	Ms K Walsh	14/1
2009	Tricky Trickster	6yo	N Twiston-Davies	Mr S Twiston-Davies	11/1
2008	Old Benny	7yo	A King	Mr C Huxley	9/1
2007	Butlers Cabin	7yo	JJ ONeill	Mr A Berry	33/1
2006	Hot Weld	5yo	F Murphy	Mr R Harding	33/1
2005	Another Rum	7yo	I Duncan	Mr M OHare	5/1
2004	Native Emperor	8yo	JJ ONeill	Mr R Widger	5/1F
2003	Sudden Shock	8yo	JJ ONeill	Mr D Cullen	25/1
2002	Rith Dubh	10yo	JJ ONeill	Mr JT McNamara	10/1

National Hunt Chase Preview and Tips

Making sure you have a top amateur rider on your selection may seem an obvious statement but the advantage gained by having a one of the more established amateurs on board cannot be underestimated.

A scan of the last ten years shows that the race has tended to fall to the best pilots and one rider in particular is well worth siding with. Top Irish point to point rider Derek O'Connor won the race last year for Gordon Elliott and his overall record in the race makes impressive reading: 142P254.

Obviously O'Connor is sought out by the top trainers and whatever he rides must seriously be considered, especially if you can find a bookmaker offering four places on this race.

Ten of the thirty win and placed horses in the last ten years have come from Ireland but surprisingly Chicago Grey is the only Irish winner in the last decade.

The high number of placed Irish horses shows that this is a race that the lesser known trainers like to have a crack at and horses from the less prominent Irish yards are well worth a second look as such horses have been placed at 40/1 (twice), 100/1 and 150/1 in the space of the last ten runnings.