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Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
14:00 Cheltenham Festival
2025-03-12
Winner: £112,760
Runners: 7
Going: Good To Soft
No. of hurdles: 19
Distance: 3m0f110y
The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (formerly the RSA Chase) takes place at 2.00pm on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival and is the most prestigious race of the jumps season for staying novice chasers. It is the novices’ equivalent of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and several winners have gone on to triumph in the Gold Cup itself in later years, including most recently Denman, Bobs Worth and Lord Windermere.
NO.DRAW
FORM
FORM
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3(0)
31-111
Dancing City
-
J: Danny Mullins
T: W P Mullins
8
11-7
152
159
Won three Grade 1 novice hurdles last season, including on good to yielding ground at Punchestown, and third in the Albert Bartlett here; jumped well and stayed on stoutly when winning his more recent start over fences in Grade 3 at Naas (3m1f, heavy) in January; likely to prove Ballyburn's main challenge, but the stiffer the test the better for him and spring ground may not help.
2(0)
1-3121
Better Days Ahead
-
J: Jack Kennedy
T: Gordon Elliott
7
11-7
152
159
Won the Martin Pipe at this meeting in 2024 then third to Dancing City in 3m Grade 1 at Punchestown; 2-3 over fences, not having to improve when holding on in Grade 2 at Navan last time (3m, soft to heavy) but he did jump notably well; may have to settle for minor honours again at this level.
4(0)
101F14
Gorgeous Tom
-
J: Darragh O'Keeffe
T: Henry De Bromhead
7
11-7
149
154
Made hay in the autumn over fences, winning twice including a Grade 3 at Cork (2m4f, good) in November; close fourth in Grade 1 at Fairyhouse (2m4f, yielding) when last seen in early December and likely to come up short here unless spring ground stumps his rivals.
7(0)
1-4142
Stellar Story
-
J: Danny Gilligan
T: Gordon Elliott
8
11-7
151
159
Last-gasp win in last year's Albert Bartlett here (3m, heavy) was the highlight of his hurdles career; took three runs to match that level over fences, closing to the line on Better Days Ahead at Navan (3m, soft to heavy) 31 days ago; it's likely he would appreciate a stiffer test than spring ground is likely to provide.
5(0)
35-511
Lecky Watson
-
J: Sean O'Keeffe
T: W P Mullins
7
11-7
152
161
Just shy of the best novice hurdlers last season but 2-2 front-running over fences, much improved in Grade 3 at Punchestown (extended 2m3f, soft) last time despite dicey jumping; could play the hare again but it's hard to see him staying away.
1(0)
1-1121
Ballyburn
-
J: Paul Townend
T: W P Mullins
7
11-7
160
167
Brilliant winner of the Turners Novices' Hurdle at this meeting last year; 2-3 over fences, losing to only Sir Gino, but jumping has been sketchy at times and it took until after the last for him to assert in the Ladbrokes Novice Chase at Leopardstown (extended 2m5f, yielding) last month; that, plus his stout pedigree, gives hope he will stay and he looks the one to beat.
6(0)
131-31
Quai De Bourbon
-
J: Mr P W Mullins
T: W P Mullins
6
11-7
150
151
Third behind Better Days Ahead in last year's Martin Pipe here; won over fences at the second time of asking at Gowran Park (2m4f, soft to heavy) in January but needs to step up significantly on that in this quality of field.
RACING POST TIP
Ballyburn
No British runners, although The Jukebox Man would have been a serious player had he avoided injury. Willie Mullins has a majority of the field and one of his big two, BALLYBURN and Dancing City, is likely to be suited whatever the pace scenario. A thorough test could suit the latter, but a good pace could help Ballyburn to settle and his class means he should have most angles covered as long as his jumping holds up. Better Days Ahead looks the best of the three non-Mullins runners and can make up the tricast, while last year's Albert Bartlett winner Stellar Story also enters calculations if it turns into a thorough test.
Cheltenham Free Bets
BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES CHASE PREVIOUS WINNERS
| Year | Horse | Previous Form | Age | Price | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2024 | Fact To File | 22-211 | 7 | 8-13F | Willie Mullins | Mark Walsh |
| 2023 | The Real Whacker | 011 | 7 | 8-1 | Patrick Neville | Sam Twiston-Davies |
| 2022 | L’Homme Presse | 6-1111 | 7 | 9-4F | Venetia Williams | Charlie Deutsch |
| 2021 | Monkfish | 11-111 | 7 | 1-4F | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2020 | Champ | 21-11F | 8 | 4-1 | Nicky Henderson | Barry Geraghty |
| 2019 | Topofthegame | 412-22 | 7 | 4-1 | Paul NIcholls | Harry Cobden |
| 2018 | Presenting Percy | 13112 | 7 | 5-2F | Pat Kelly | Davy Russell |
| 2017 | Might Bite | 7-21F1 | 8 | 7-2F | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 2016 | Blaklion | 4F121 | 7 | 8-1 | Nigel Twiston-Davies | Ryan Hatch |
| 2015 | Don Poli | 11-211 | 6 | 13-8F | Willie Mullins | Bryan Cooper |
BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES CHASE KEY TRENDS AND STATS
Key trends
- Contested a Graded chase, 10/10 (six won)
- Top-two finish last time out, 9/10 (exception fell)
- Six to 12 hurdle and chase runs, 8/10
- Aged seven or eight, 9/10
- Adjusted RPR of at least 165, 9/10
- Rated within 5lb of RPR top-rated, 9/10
- Ran three to five times over fences, 8/10
Other factors
- Of the combined 40 chase starts of winners, only 2016 scorer Blaklion had finished outside the first three when completing (five had fallen).
- Seven winners had previously run at the festival – three in the Albert Bartlett (P1), one in the Ballymore (2), one in the Martin Pipe (1), one in the Pertemps Final (1), one in the Coral Cup (2) and one in the Champion Bumper (2)
We have all the best Cheltenham Betting offers ahead of placing your bets on the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES CHASE 2024
A future Gold Cup prospect emerged in last season’s Brown Advisory when the JP McManus-owned Fact To File scored easily by three and three-quarter lengths. Fact To File was the 8-13 favourite in the six-runner line-up and jumped efficiently on his way to a ready success under Mark Walsh. His stamina for three miles was a question mark going into the race but it proved no issue. Fact To File was the sixth winning favourite in the last ten years, while no winner in the last decade has returned bigger than 8-1.