Foxhunter Chase Trends and Free Bets for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival

By Mark Fordham

Feb 20th, 2026 12:24 PM EST

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2026 Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase Trends

One of the races at the Cheltenham Festival for amateur jockeys, the Foxhunter chase is one of the highlights of the week for many punters seeing to use their Cheltenham free bets. Here are the trends you need to help find the winner at betting apps:

The last 10 winners:

• Were bred in Ireland or France.
• Had won on a left-handed track.
• Last won no more than three runs ago, six winning last time out.

Nine of the last 10 winners:

• Last ran in a hunter chase, or won an open point-to-point.
• Last ran no more than 53 days ago (Wonderwall last ran 131 days prior)

Eight of the last 10 winners:

• Finished in the first three on their last run (exceptions It Came To Pass and On The Fringe in 2016).
• Were aged older that nine (Sine Nomine was eight and Wonderwall nine).
• Had won a hunter chase (Porlock Bay had ran in only one hunter chase prior and finished second, Wonderwall had never run in one).
• Had won at least four times over fences, including in point-to-points (Porlock Bay, Wonderwall).
• Had run at Cheltenham before (Hazel Hill, Porlock Bay)

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Key Trials in the last 10 years

With so many hunter chase options, there are not many recognised trials for the Foxhunter Chase. Traditionally, the Raymond Smith Memorial Hunter Chase at Leopardstown in February was the best guide, but that has been discontinued with the creation of the Dublin Racing Festival.

The best bet for the 2026 Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham is to follow horses that win hunter chases run on left-handed courses, preferably ones described as 'galloping', 'undulating' or 'testing'.

Trainer Trends

• Paul Nicholls won the race in 2017 and 2018 to take his total tally to four wins, and his entrant last year (Shearer) came fifth.
• Irish trainer Enda Bolger has saddled two winners and two placed finishers from 10 runners in the last 11 years, but he had no runner in 2024 or 2025 so may not come back this year either.
• British trainers have won six of the last 10 renewals.

Jockey Trends

• Five of the last ten amateur renewals have been won by female jockeys.
• Six of the last eight runnings have been won by jockeys based in Britain.

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How Did the Trends do Last Year?

Wonderwall came a little out of left field to win at 28/1 last year, ninth-favourite in a field of 24, but he actually fit most of the trends so perhaps shouldn't have been too much of a surprise winner. His lack of wins over fences and the fact he'd last run in November were the two major aspects going against him, but he was a certified winner with victories in his last two outings before the Festival.

He was also an experienced runner over fences, albeit without much success, and had three point-to-point wins under his belt.

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Who Fits The Trends Best In 2026?

Its On The Line has, incredibly, finished second in this race in each of the last three renewals and continues to be one to watch at Cheltenham. He's not had the best winter of all time so far, going 412, but the win was a hunters chase at Down Royal on Boxing Day. He is only nine years old but so was Wonderwall last year and the fact he fits every other trend suggests his age can be ignored.

Wonderwall is also a consideration after winning a point-to-point on his last outing, which was way back in November so doesn't fit the trend he also didn't fit last year on his way to success. Elsewhere, Panda Boy has come into some form recently with a pair of hunters chase wins this year and fits the age bill at 10 years old, although he's never been to Cheltenham before.

2026 Foxhunter Chase Odds

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2025 Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase Result

Cheltenham Festival 2026 Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day One Trends

• Supreme Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Arkle Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Ultima Handicap Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Mares' Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Hurdle Trends
• Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Trends
• National Hunt Novices' Chase Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Two Trends

• Turners Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Brown Advisory Novices' Chase Trends
• Coral Cup Trends
• Cheltenham Cross Country Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Chase Trends
• Grand Annual Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Bumper Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Three Trends

• Cheltenham Mares' Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase
• Pertemps Final Trends
• Ryanair Chase Trends
• Stayers' Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Festival Plate Handicap Trends
• Kim Muir Handicap Chase Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Four Trends

• Triumph Hurdle Trends
• County Hurdle Trends
• Mares' Chase Trends
• Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Gold Cup Trends
• Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase Trends
• Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Trends

About the Author

Mark Fordham

More About Mark

Mark spent over a decade as a sports reporter and editor with Goal.com and Bleacher Report. He is now a Content Editor at Bookies.com covering all manner of sports from the Premier League and cricket to the NBA and NFL, and is our resident EPL tipster. Mark also has years of experience working with all things online casino, and knows a good one from a bad one.

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