{"id":35421,"date":"2025-03-09T15:24:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-09T15:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/?p=35421"},"modified":"2025-03-09T16:08:35","modified_gmt":"2025-03-09T16:08:35","slug":"cheltenham-festival-race-the-irish-have-the-worst-record-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportscasting.com\/uk\/news\/cheltenham-festival-race-the-irish-have-the-worst-record-in\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Cheltenham Festival Race Do The Irish Have The Worst Record In?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Irish winners at the Cheltenham Festival are a very common thing these days with the raiders from the Emerald Isle firing in 18 winners at the meeting in 2024 and are long odds-on get the most again in 2025.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Therefore, it’s no surprise that the Irish do well in MOST of the 28 Cheltenham Festival<\/a> races each year.<\/p>\n

However, there is ONE Cheltenham race that they have a shocking record in – find out below.<\/p>\n

The Irish Have A POOR Record In The Ultima Handicap Chase at The Cheltenham Festival<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As the tapes go up for the Cheltenham Festival each year for the opening race – the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – more often than not punters are cheering home an Irish-trained winner.<\/p>\n

They’ve won eight of the last 12 runnings of this Festival curtain raiser, including last year with Slade Steel.<\/p>\n

The next race on day one – the Arkle Challenge Trophy – has also been a kind race for the Irish, with Ireland winning 70% of the last 10.<\/p>\n

However, over the years this has been where the Irish Cheltenham winners party has been put on hold.<\/p>\n

This is because race three on day one of the Festival – the Ultima Handicap Chase<\/strong> – has been a desperate contest for Irish-trained horses.<\/p>\n

The Irish Have Won Just TWO Of The Last 56 Runnings Of The Ultima Chase (since 1967)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You must go back to 2006, and the Tony Martin-trained Dun Doire,<\/strong> to find the last Irish-trained winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase – with Ruby Walsh riding.<\/p>\n

This win came three years after the JP McManus-owned Youlneverwalkalone<\/strong> won for trainer Christy Roche and jockey Barry Geraghty.<\/p>\n

But these remain the ONLY two Irish-trained Ultima Handicap Chase winners since 1967.<\/p>\n

Meaning there have been just two Irish winners of this day one Cheltenham Festival race in the last 56 runnings.<\/p>\n

In The Last 18 Runnings Of The Ultima Handicap Chase Irish-Trained Horses Are 0-46<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yes, the classy Fastorslow went close when second in 2023 to the former Grand National winner Corach Rambler.<\/p>\n

Plus, 12 months ago, in 2024 the well-fancied Meetingofthewaters was third for Willie Mullins and The Goffer fifth for Gordon Elliott.<\/p>\n

But this Irish dry spell in the Ultima now stands at 0-from-46 in the last 18 runnings.<\/p>\n

Willie Mullins Has NEVER Won The Ultima Handicap Chase<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Therefore, with the Ultima being a dire event for the Irish, it’s also no surprise it’s one of the SEVEN Cheltenham Festival races that top trainer Wille Mullins<\/a>, who has 103 winners at the meeting, has NEVER won.<\/p>\n

As mentioned, he went close in 2024 when his Meetingofthewaters ran third to the eventual winner Chianti Classico (watch below).<\/p>\n