Betfair Chase

Despite its relatively new place on the racing calendar, the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park has quickly become one of the early-season highlights in the National Hunt season.

The 3m 1f test is the first Grade 1 Chase of the season in the UK and is often serves as the first race of the campaign for the best staying chasers in Britain and Ireland.

With notoriously tough fences to jump and 19 of them to clear in total, horses that run well in the race often have repeat success. Cue Card, Silviniaco Conti, Kauto Star and Bristol De Mai are all multiple winners of the race despite just 14 runnings.

The Betfair Chase is also the first leg of the Stayers Triple Crown, with a £1 million bonus for any horse which manages to win the Betfair Chase at Haydock, the King George at Kempton and the Cheltenham Gold Cup at The Festival.

The last horse to win the Stayers Triple Crown was Kauto Star in 2006/07, with Paul Nicholls’ superstar taking the Betfair Chase on no less than four occasions in total. Nigel Twiston-Davies' Bristol De Mai was an emphatic winner of the race in 2017 and 2018 but failed to win the second or third leg after victory at Haydock.

The 2019 running of the Betfair Chase will take place on Saturday November 23, with £112,450 to the winner and a total prize fund of £200,000.

The Haydock Park course is the first thing which has to be considered when looking at placing a bet on the Betfair Chase. It is a left-handed, flat track but often throws up very testing ground, placing the emphasis very much on stamina as well as class.

For that reason, it can be worth siding with horses which have already had a run, such as Cue Card who won the 2016 race after being beaten in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

It is quite a unique course in that the fences are particularly high and can be tough to jump, meaning some horses do not take to the jumping task on seasonal reappearance. Remarkably, in 14 runnings of the race, we have seen just seven different winners of the race with four of them winning it on multiple occasions.

The fences come up very quickly on the back straight, and while it is a very fair track, if a horse becomes unbalanced at any of the obstacles down the back, it can be hard to regain that momentum.

Betting markets for the Betfair Chase are unlikely to be available until the month before the race, but you can get a good picture of the likely runners by viewing the King George principals here.

At The Winners Enclosure, we will be providing information on every single runner in our race guides, which can be accessed before any high-profile meeting, including the Betfair Chase.

Our selections are all carefully researched by our experienced set of tipsters and they can be found on our daily updated horse racing tips page.

At Haydock Park, they have several enclosures with different dress codes as a result. The dress code for the Premier Suite, Harry’s Bistro and the Park Suite is jacket, tie and smart trousers for men and best day outfit for women.

In the County Enclosure, hospitality boxes and Kauto Star Restaurant, Haydock Racecourse encourage smart dress for both ladies and gentlemen. Jeans are allowed as long as they're not faded, distressed or ripped and a collared shirt should be worn. Fancy dress, sportswear (including training shoes) or swimwear are not permitted.

In the Grandstand, Paddock and Be Friendly areas, the dress code is more relaxed and racegoers are not asked to abide by any dress code. Fancy dress is permitted as long as the outfit is not offensive to others. Obviously, dress accordingly for what usually is a very cold Betfair Chase day!

The Betfair Chase tends to attract a small field, with some trainers opting to take other targets en route to other Grade 1 races later on in the campaign.

For that reason, it can be worth backing a confirmed runner in the weeks prior to the race, with several fancied possibles likely to be taken out. Bristol De Mai is one runner that will surely be heading for the Haydock showpiece having won the last two renewals

Punchestown Gold Cup winner Kemboy is also expected to attempt the Stayers Triple Crown, after owners Supreme Horse Racing said they would be targeting the Betfair Chase.

Many bookmakers will be offering free bets and extra places on the race, depending on the number of confirmed runners. Keep your eyes out for our special offers.

Kingscliff won the inaugural running of the Grade 1 chase back in 2005 for Robert Walford, ahead of Beef Or Salmon who was again runner-up in 2006 behind the brilliant Kauto Star, ridden by the recently-retired Ruby Walsh and trained by Paul Nicholls. The two-time Tingle Creek and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner claimed the Haydock Grade 1 on no less than four occasions.

Snooty Loopy and 2010 Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander took the race in 2008 and 2010 respectively, while two fan favourites in Cue Card and Silviniaco Conti traded victories in the Haydock Race between 2012 and 2016.

The last two runnings of the race have both gone to Bristol De Mai for Daryl Jacob and the team of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, beating the likes of 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River, Outlander, 2016 King George winner Thistlecrack and 2017 King George winner Might Bite as well as dual winner Cue Card.