St. James’s Place Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup

The St. James’s Place Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup is run over 3 miles 2½ furlongs on the New Course at Cheltenham and is open to horses aged five years and upwards. The race is run over the same course and distance as the Cheltenham Gold Cup and is currently scheduled as the fifth race on the fourth, and final, day of the Cheltenham Festival, immediately following the “Blue Riband” event.

However, the Foxhunter Chase is restricted to amateur jockeys and horses that have won two point-to-point races, finished first or second in two hunter chases or won one point-to-point race and finished first or second in one hunter chase, within a specified period. Point-to-point racing takes place on a variety of set, cross-country courses throughout the country, while hunter chases are run under the rules of racing, but both are restricted to horses that have hunted during the current hunting season.

Several horses have won the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup twice, including On The Fringe (2015, 2016) but, since World War II, no horse has won three times. Trainer Richard Barber saddled Rushing Wild (1992), Fantus (1995 & 1997) and Earthmover (1998) for a total of four wins, while Colman Sweeney rode Sleeping Night (2005) and Salsify (2012 & 2013) for a total of three wins.