12th - 15th March 2024

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14:50 Cheltenham 12 Mar 2024 View Racecard

3 Ultima Handicap Chase
Premier Handicap | GBB Race | Class 1 | 5YO plus
Winner £70,338 - 21 ran
3m 1f
Heavy (Soft in places)
Draw Advantage: None
View course guide

Last year’s race

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Winner: Corach Rambler
Jockey: D R Fox
Trainer: Miss Lucinda V Russell
Owner: The Ramblers
Age: 9 Weight: 11st 5lbs
Starting Price: 6/1
Season Form Figures: 54
Previous Best: 1st - Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3), Cheltenham (March 2022)

By Paul Jones

Supporting a horse to have run well in a previous edition of the race or a novice has been the way to
go of late as the winners of last eight editions had shared either of those profiles between them.

Last season it proved to the former as Corach Rambler emulated Scot Lane and Un Temps Pour Tout
in winning back-to-back runnings of the Ultima - a performance which ensured that he was 10lb well-
in for the Grand National which he also duly won so was emulating Seagram who completed the
Ultima/Grand National double 32 years earlier. In fact, following Noble Yeats, the last two winners at
Aintree both had their previous outing in the Ultima.

A quality piece of previous Cheltenham Festival form is a notable positive with half of the last 26
winners having finished in the first four at this meeting before, seven of them 12 months earlier.

In addition to those three aforementioned dual winners, Vintage Clouds made it fifth time lucky in
2021 having placed in two previous runnings of the Ultima, Beware The Bear finished fourth in the
2018 renewal ahead of winning it the following season and the 2014 winner, Holywell, also went close
to becoming a dual winner when finishing runner-up in 2016. Remarkably, Un Temps Pour Tout
became the fourth winner since 2010 to prep in the Cleeve Hurdle on Festival Trials Day in January.
As for last season’s Ultima form, it couldn’t gave worked out much better with the winner then
adding the Grand National and the runner-up, Fastorslow, then beating the Gold Cup 1-2 at
Punchestown and he has since finished first and second in two more Grade 1s. Therefore, there will
be plenty of interest in last year’s Ultima third, Monbeg Genius , on that form line if he runs and
also the fourth, The Goffer , who went from rear to leading from three out to the final fence before
weakening so his trainer felt that he made his move too quickly. Expect him to be ridden more
patiently this time after warming up to go three places better by winning a charity race.

QuickBet
0:00 / 7:17

NEWBURY (14:50 Saturday 02 Dec 2023)

Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

When Corach Rambler won his first Ultima he was leading home a 1-2-3-4-5 for novices in maximum
field of 24, three of which were running from out of the handicap. What was once a mighty difficult
race for novices who went 37 years without a winner up until Fork Lightning won in 2004, has been
turned on its head having registered seven successes in the last 20 runnings. Moreover, three of last
season’s four novice representatives went on to finish third, fourth and fifth so it was another strong
showing plus the runner-up, Fastorslow, although not a novice, was only having his fourth chase start
so to all intents and purposes he was also another.

With the subsequent Grand National winner beating the subsequent Punchestown Gold Cup winner,
those three novices that placed third, fourth and fifth last season unfortunately found themselves in
the wrong year or they could easily have registered a 1-2-3.

Although he had the previous-race form, the sticking point for Vintage Clouds three years ago was
his age of 11 as his prior to his victory, just two of the 52 runners aged 11+ stretching back to 1997 had
even placed and none have done so since.
Last-time-out winners had a strong profile winning six times between 2003-2010 but a paucity of
last-time-out winners in recent seasons has made it difficult for horses with such a profile to
emulate them. Still the 2015, 2018 and 2019 winners also arrived here directly off a win so the market
doesn’t give them enough respect.

Supporting a horse to have run well in a previous edition of the race or a novice has been the
way to go of late as the winners of last eight editions had shared either of those profiles
between them.

All change with regards to trends for official ratings. The 14 winners prior to 2014 were rated no
higher than 143 heading into the race but seven of the following nine winners ran off 143+ Un Temps
Pour Tout became the first winner rated in the 150s since fellow dual-race winner, Scot Lane, 34

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years earlier.

Jonjo O’Neill has trained three of the last 15 winners of which Wichita Lineman and Alfie Sherrin won
in the colours of J P McManus, whose silks were also carried to victory in the 2003 running with the
Irish-trained Youlneverwalkalone. O’Neill also went close on three more occasions with second-place
finishes for Keen Leader, Carbury Cross and Holywell since 2002 and his Monbeg Genius finished
third last season so this is clearly a handicap that he likes to target.

Alan King is another trainer who likes to target this race. His record of two winners and a close-up
third since 2003 catches the eye and Bensalem also looked the probable winner 11 years ago but for
his late fall but he had none of the 73 entries this season.

David Pipe loves the Festival handicap chases and has also won this race on three occasions. In
addition to two wins for Un Temps Pour, he won with An Accordion as well The Package placing on
three occasions before he won the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir. His Gericault Roque finished second in
2022, nabbed late on by Corach Rambler. Kim Bailey took this race back in the day with Betty’s Boy
and, back in the big time again, he has saddled a placed horse in two of the last four years. His novice,
Chianti Classico , looks a big contender. Paul Nicholls, however, is 0-24.
 QuickBet
0:00 / 6:34

ASCOT (12:20 Saturday 25 Nov 2023)

Royal Ascot Racing Club Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

As for the Irish, their best effort was supplying the second and third nine years ago in a race that
they haven’t really gone after in a big way down the years and have not won since Dun Doire in 2006
and only had one other winner in the 41 years that preceded that success.

However, last season they finished second and fourth from just three runners and The Goffer
looks to hold a fair chance of going three places better and the Paddy Power Chase winner and
novice, Meetingofthewaters , is another leading Irish hope. So is last season’s Kim Muir runner-up,
Stumptown , who is now rated too high by the BHA to be eligible for that amateur riders’ race so
seems set to run in the Ultima instead for Gavin Cromwell who can’t stop having handicap chase
winners in Britain this season.

The leading fancies dominated proceedings last season with the first five in the betting occupying
the first five places. Only three favourites (including joint-favs) have won since 1977 but as many as
nine second-favourites have won since 1984 and 17 winners since the turn of the century could be
found in the first five in the betting.

At a glance summary
POSITIVES NEGATIVES

Won or placed at the Cheltenham Festival in Aged 11+

another year (notably in this race)
Likely to start outside the first five in the
Novices betting

Won last time out Trained by Paul Nicholls

 Trained by Jonjo O’Neill, David Pipe or Kim
Bailey

Owned by J P McManus

For more betting and trends analysis visit Paul Jones Horseracing.

Stats Guides
Tuesday 12 March

Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)

Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1)

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Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1)
Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Registered As The
David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle) (Grade 1)
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Registered As
The Fred Winter) (Premier Handicap)
National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys'
Novices' Chase (Grade 2)

Wednesday 13 March

Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)

Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (Registered
As The Broadway Novices' Chase)
Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1)
Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup
Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Standard Open
National Hunt Flat Race) (Grade 1)

Thursday 14 March

Turners Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (Registered As The

Golden Miller)
Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Premier
Handicap)
Ryanair Chase (Registered As The Festival Trophy)
(Grade 1)
Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1)
Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase (Premier
Handicap)
Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered
As The Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle)
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur
Jockeys' Handicap Chase
Friday 15 March

JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)

County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered
As The Spa Novices' Hurdle)
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1)
St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open
Hunters' Chase
Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase (Registered As The
Liberthine Mares' Chase) (Grade 2)
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

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Previous winners
Year Going Ran Winner Draw Age Weight OR Form Last Trainer (Distance) Jockey SP Time
run

2023 Soft 23 Corach Rambler 9 11 5 146 14U1-54 108 L Russell (363 Derek Fox 6/ 1 6:30.55
days miles)

2022 Good to 24 Corach Rambler 8 10 2 140 1-3114U 24 L Russell (363 Derek Fox 10/ 6:18.26
Soft days miles) 1

2021 Soft 16 Vintage Clouds 11 10 11 143 158-753 25 Sue Smith (162 Ryan Mania 28/ 6:31.00
days miles) 1

2020 Soft 23 The Conditional 8 10 6 139 54-3124 59 D Bridgwater (20 Brendan 15/ 6:50.75
days miles) Powell 2

2019 Soft 24 Beware The 9 11 8 151 1P4P-41 70 N Henderson (51 Jeremiah 10/ 6:39.40
Bear days miles) McGrath 1

2018 Heavy 18 Coo Star Sivola 6 10 13 142 4-53241 18 Nick Williams (121 Lizzie Kelly 5/ 1 6:47.50

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days miles)

2017 Good to 23 Un Temps Pour 8 11 12 155 14-1036 45 D Pipe (100 Tom 9/ 1 6:20.10
Soft Tout days miles) Scudamore

2016 Good to 23 Un Temps Pour 7 11 7 148 63-1224 45 D Pipe (100 Tom 11/ 1 6:17.50
Soft Tout days miles) Scudamore

2015 Good to 24 The Druids 8 11 3 146 2P-1275 45 N Mulholland (45 B J Geraghty 8/ 1 6:19.20
Soft Nephew days miles)

2014 Good to 23 Holywell 7 11 6 145 4-32U11 20 Jonjo O'Neill (1 Richie 10/ 6:01.90
Soft days miles) McLernon 1

2013 Soft 24 Golden 8 10 5 132 1P3633 18 C Tizzard (83 Brendan 28/ 6:19.70
Chieftain days miles) Powell 1

2012 Good 19 Alfie Sherrin 9 10 0 129 3P-PF75 24 Jonjo O'Neill (1 Richie 14/ 6:08.50
days miles) McLernon 1

2011 Good 19 Bensalem 8 11 2 143 F2F2-52 24 A King (44 miles) R Thornton 5/ 1 6:10.30
days

2010 Good to 24 Chief Dan 10 10 10 142 15-3701 20 J Moffatt (193 P Aspell 33/ 6:10.70
Soft George days miles) 1

2009 Good to 21 Wichita 8 10 9 142 249-121 94 Jonjo O'Neill (1 A P McCoy 5/ 1 6:26.63

Soft Lineman days miles)

2008 Good to 14 An Accordion 7 10 12 143 113-P61 45 D Pipe (100 Tom 7/ 1 6:35.50

Soft days miles) Scudamore

2007 Good to 24 Joes Edge 10 10 6 130 4076- 114 F Murphy (227 Davy Russell 50/ 6:15.90
Soft 78 days miles) 1

2006 Good to 22 Dun Doire 7 10 9 129 511111 47 A J Martin Ruby Walsh 7/ 1 6:12.10
Soft days

2005 Good 20 Kelami 7 10 2 133 803F43 24 F Doumen R Thornton 8/ 1 6:08.60

days

2004 Good 11 Fork Lightning 8 10 5 136 1-31U21 33 A King (44 miles) R Thornton 7/ 1 6:12.30
days

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