St James's Place Festival Hunter Chase


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The St James's Place Festival Hunters' Chase is a National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain for amateur riders which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs (3 miles 2 furlongs and 70 yards, or 5,294 metres), and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped. It is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.

The event is contested over the same course and distance as the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and it is sometimes referred to as the "amateur Gold Cup". It was established in 1904, and the inaugural running was won by Palmy Boy. It was backed by the insurance company Sun Alliance and London in 1972 and 1973, and for the following five years it was run without a sponsor. The art auctioneers Christie's supported the race from 1979 to 2012 and from 2013 to 2015 it was sponsored by the Country Gentleman's Association. Since 2016 it has been sponsored by St. James's Place plc. The race's full title is the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase. Until 2020 the race was known as the St James's Place Foxhunters' Chase - the word "fox" was removed from the title prior to the 2021 running.

Qualification for entry in the Festival Hunter Chase is based on a horse's previous performances in certain types of race within a specific period. To be eligible a horse must have finished first or second twice in hunter chases, or have won two open point-to-point races, or have won one open point-to-point race and finished first or second in a hunter chase.

Only professional jockeys competed in the 2021 running as amateur riders were excluded from the Cheltenham Festival due to restrictions on grassroots sport for the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.

Records
Most successful horse since 1946 (2 wins):
 * The Callant – 1956, 1957
 * Whinstone Hill – 1958, 1960
 * College [sic] Master – 1961, 1962
 * Double Silk – 1993, 1994
 * Fantus – 1995, 1997
 * Earthmover – 1998, 2004
 * Salsify – 2012, 2013
 * On The Fringe – 2015, 2016
 * Pacha du Polder – 2017, 2018

Leading jockey since 1946 (3 wins):
 * Colman Sweeney –  Sleeping Night (2005), Salsify (2012, 2013),

Leading trainer since 1946 (4 wins):
 * Richard Barber – Rushing Wild (1992), Fantus (1995, 1997), Earthmover (1998)
 * Paul Nicholls – Earthmover (2004), Sleeping Night (2005), Pacha du Polder (2017, 2018)

Winners since 1946

 * All amateur jockeys except in 2021.