The Ryanair Chase is a prominent fixture of the Cheltenham Festival, and fans and race enthusiasts alike are already anticipating the upcoming contest.
Last season’s renewal saw nine-year-old Protektorat claim victory for the Dan Skelton team, after pulling clear of the competition after the last fence jump.
This year’s contest has a number of leading contenders who are sure to bring the tension and excitement to Cheltenham Racecourse.
Read on, as we give you a breakdown of the upcoming 2025 Ryanair Chase, whether it’s to inform those interested in the Ryanair Chase odds, or simply improve your knowledge of the beloved contest.
Contest overview
This Grade 1 event was introduced in 2005, and covers a distance of approximately two miles, five furlongs. The race is opening to challenging horses aged five years and older.
During the running, the horses will have seventeen fences to jump.
This specific type of race is often contested by horses that don’t quite have the speed for the two-mile Champion Chase, nor the resilience and stamina to take on the three-mile Cheltenham Gold Cup – hence, this middle middle-distance race is ideal.
Date and time
The Ryanair Chase is scheduled for the third day of the Cheltenham Festival, taking place on Thursday March 13, 2025. The race will commence at 3.20 pm (GMT).
Prize money
The total prize money for the 2025 Ryanair Chase is £375,000.
Leading contenders
As of early February 2025, the following horses are prominent mentions in talks of who could win the contest on March 13:
- Fact To File: The Willie Mullins-trained horse, Fact To File, is the current favourite for the race. He secured an impressive victory last year in the John Durkan on his seasonal reappearance.
- Banbridge: After a commanding performance to land the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day at Kempton, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Banbridge is a notable contender.
- Gaelic Warrior: Last season's Arkle Chase winner, Gaelic Warrior, is also a contender for the Ryanair Chase, despite a less impressive seasonal reappearance.
Notable entries
There are 28 horses who hold entries for the upcoming race, and this includes:
- Banbridge
- Blood Destiny
- Blue Lord
- Conflated
- Djelo
- El Fabiolo
- Energumene
- Envoi Allen
- Fact To File
- Fil Dor
- Found A Fifty
- Ga Law
- Gaelic Warrior
- Gentleman De Mee
- Ginny’s Destiny
- Grangeclare West
- Hang In There
- Heart Wood
- Hitman
- Il Est Francais
- JPR One
- Journey With Me
- Jungle Boogie
- Le Patron
- Master Chewy
- Protektorat
- Spillane’s Tower
- Springwell Bay
The final declarations soon to follow will narrow this list as the race day approaches.
As the 2025 Ryanair Chase approaches, fans can expect a thrilling contest with top-class horses contending for victory. And as always, until the first horse crosses the finish line, anything could happen along the two-mile, five-furlong track – potentially causing an upset in the horse racing odds.
As the event approaches, be sure to keep an eye on the latest news, entries, final declarations, and market movements to ensure you're well-informed for this riveting contest.
