The Betfair Chase takes place at Haydock Park each November and is one of the first major races of the jumps racing season.
It’s the first Grade 1 contest of the campaign and runners often go on to race in the more lucrative King George VI Chase and the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.
That’s why there was so much interest when the entries were announced at the start of the season, and punters certainly wouldn’t have been disappointed by the early line-up.
Last year’s victor Protektorat leads the way in the Betfair Chase odds, and the likes of Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame, Gerri Colombe and Shishkin follow.
With a star-studded list of runners, it could be hard to predict the winner of this year’s Betfair Chase. So, let’s assess some of the key trends to try and help with your selection.
Age
10 of the last 12 winners since 2011 were aged between six and nine years old.
Seven is the most common age, with five winners, while two were aged nine, another two six, and one eight-year-old.
Kauto Star was one of the horses to buck the trend when he won the race for a record fourth time at the ripe age of 11 in 2011, while Cue Card was 10 when landing his hat-trick in 2016.
Odds
Just four of the last 12 winners have been the favourite or the joint-favourite in the horse racing odds, with A Plus Tard the most recent when winning here at 11/10 en route to the Gold Cup in 2021.
Lostintranslation (2019), Bristol De Mai (2017), and the aforementioned Cue Card (2016) were the other three market leaders.
What’s interesting, however, is that all but one of the last 12 winners were in the top three of the betting.
Form
The form is crucial. Oftentimes, it’s the first thing bettors look at when making a selection, and how a horse has fared in recent runs can be a huge influence in the decision process.
A victory last time out isn’t the be-all and end-all in the Betfair Chase though, as just four of the last 12 winners won their last outing before heading to Haydock.
Seven of the last 12 winners did have at least two previous runs at this course, however, with half of the victors since 2011 winning at least once at Haydock.
In terms of chasing form, nine of the last 12 winners had at least 11 previous outings over fences — with nine also boasting at least five wins over the larger obstacles.
Seven of the last 12 had at least one run that season, with four of those having picked up a victory beforehand.
Form in graded races is also very important. Just one of the last 12 hadn’t won at least one Grade 1, with all of the last 12 winners winning at least two contested at graded level (1-3).
Based on the trends, Protektorat could have a very good chance of defending his title. However, Shishkin is also one that could be worth considering.
The Nicky Henderson-trained horse is in the right age bracket at nine, could be in the top three of the betting should others drop out, has 12 previous attempts over fences, and has won multiple races at graded level — including five Grade 1 chases.
