Cheltenham Ryanair Chase Betting Offers 2026
Last Updated 16 Dec 2025 | By The GrandNational.org.uk StaffThe Cheltenham Ryanair Chase is one of the most anticipated races at the Cheltenham Festival. Find out about the favourites with our horse-by-horse summary, the Ryanair Chase trends you should be following, and the best Cheltenham Ryanair Chase betting offers and free bets to help you get the most out of bookmakers’ promos.
Ryanair Chase Cheltenham Betting Offers & Free Bets
Cheltenham Ryanair Chase – What you need to know
The Ryanair Chase is the feature race on day three of the Cheltenham Festival. It is a grade 1 contest for horses aged 5 years and over. Here’s some key facts to get you up to speed on the Ryanair Chase.
How long is the Ryanair Chase, when’s it held and where’s it run?
The Ryanair is one of the most recent additions to the Cheltenham Festival, brought in for 2005 when the event was extended to stretch over four days, and upgraded to Grade 1 status in 2008. The Ryanair is the most valuable race on day three, with the winner receiving in excess of £200,000 and it is scheduled to be run at 3.20pm on Thursday 12th March 2026.
The Ryanair Chase is run over 2 miles 4½ furlongs, making it longer than both the Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase, but nearly two miles shorter than the Grand National.
Cheltenham Ryanair Chase Runners
The final list of Ryanair Chase runners is yet to be confirmed but the ante-post odds offer us a clear indication of the most likely runners. The horses below can therefore be expected to head the field in the 2026 Cheltenham Festival showdown.
- Fact to File
- Jango Baie
- Gaelic Warrior
- Majborough
- Il Etait Temps
- The Jukebox Man
- Jonbon
- Grey Dawning
- Impaire Et Passe
- Dinoblue
As ever, it’s worth making sure you bet with a bookmaker that offers a Cheltenham Festival Non Runner No Bet promotion, to ensure you get a run for your money.
Cheltenham Ryanair Chase Odds
The main contenders for the Cheltenham Ryanair Chase betting are listed below, alongside their most impressive results to date and their current Ryanair betting odds.
| Horse | Most notable result | 2026 Ryanair Chase odds* |
|---|---|---|
| Fact to File | 2025 Ryanair Chase winner | 2/1 |
| Jango Baie | 2025 Arkle winner | 7/1 |
| Gaelic Warrior | 2024 Arkle winner | 8/1 |
| Majborough | 2024 JCB Triumph Hurdle winner | 10/1 |
| Il Etait Temps | 2025 Tingle Creek winner | 14/1 |
| The Jukebox Man | 2024 Alfred Bartlett runner-up | 16/1 |
| Jonbon | 2025 QM Champion Chase runner up | 16/1 |
| Grey Dawning | 2024 Turners Novices Chase winner | 20/1 |
| Impaire Et Passe | 2025 Manifesto Novices Chase winner | 20/1 |
*All Cheltenham Ryanair Chase odds last updated at 5pm on 16th December 2025 and are subject to change.
2025 Ryanair Chase Result
Fact To File made the Ryanair Chase look easy. He took the lead on the home turn and pulled well away. Outsiders Heart Wood and Envoi Allen ran well and returned some money for e/w bettors. The full result of the 2025 Ryanair chase is listed below.
| Ryanair Chase Result | Horse | 2025 Ryanair Chase SP |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Fact To File | 6/4 (Fav) |
| 2nd | Heart Wood | 4/1 |
| 3rd | Envoi Allen | 6/1 |
| 4th | Protektorat | 5/1 |
| 5th | Master Chewy | 40/1 |
| 6th | Il Est Francais | 10/3 |
| 7th | Djelo | 15/2 |
| PU | Hang In There | 66/1 |
| PU | Jungle Boogie | 16/1 |
Cheltenham Ryanair Chase past winners
Protektorat denied Envoi Allen a second victory in the Ryanair, but who’ll be the one to join the illustrious names below in 2025?
- 2025 – Face To File (6/4 fav)
- 2024 – Protektorat (17/2)
- 2023 – Envoi Allen (13/2)
- 2022 – Allaho (4/7 fav)
- 2021 – Allaho (3/1 fav)
- 2020 – Min (2/1)
- 2019 – Frodon (9/2)
- 2018 – Balko Des Flos (8/1)
- 2017 – Un De Sceaux (7/4 fav)
- 2016 – Vautour (Evens fav)
- 2015 – Uxizandre (16/1)
- 2014 – Dynaste (3/1 fav)
- 2013 – Cue Card (7/2)
Cheltenham Ryanair Chase betting trends
We all want to get an edge when placing our bets, and one way to do so is by looking at the make-up of past race winners. Here we’ve focused on the last 12 Ryanair Chase winners to see which trends are worth following.
Key Cheltenham Ryanair Chase betting trends
- 12/12 – Had previously run at the Cheltenham Festival
- 11/12 – Had previously won at least five races
- 8/12 – Won at odds of 5/1 or shorter
- 8/12 – Had raced within the last 8 weeks
- 6/12 – Aged exactly 7 years old
- 5/12 – Had won their most recent race
- 5/12 – Won by the favourite
- 5/12 – Trained by Willie Mullins
- 5/12 – Had previously won at the Cheltenham Festival
- 4/12 – Aged 9 years old or older
- 2/12 – Aged exactly 8 years old
It’s clear to see that having previous experience of running at the Cheltenham Festival is crucial. Actually winning there before is of less importance, although Envoi Allen had ticked that box when victorious in 2023.
How to watch and stream the Ryanair Chase
Once you’ve placed your Ryanair Chase bets, you’ll undoubtedly want to find somewhere to watch the drama unfold. ITV is one place to view the action, although the Festival’s later races aren’t included in the coverage. We’d therefore suggest betting sites as a handy alternative.
Many now provide a free streaming service to their customers, including the possibility of placing bets and cashing out mid-race, so it’s well worth having your login details to hand when the Ryanair Chase gets underway.
Cheltenham Ryanair Chase 2026 FAQs
What date is the Ryanair Chase 2026?
The Ryanair Chase takes place on the third day of each Cheltenham Festival. This year it is scheduled to start at 3.20pm on Thursday 12th March 2026.
What is the prize money for the Ryanair Chase?
The Ryanair Chase has one of the largest prize pots at the Cheltenham Festival, with the winner taking home in excess of £211,000 and the runner-up receiving nearly £80,000.
How far is the Ryanair Chase?
The Ryanair Chase is run over a distance of 2 miles, 4 furlongs and 127 yards, with the runners and riders racing a total of 17 fences.
Who won the 2025 Ryanair Chase?
Face to File was the winner of the 2025 Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
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The GrandNational.org.uk Staff
