Tuesday 10th March 15:20
The Ultima Handicap Chase is the third race to take place on Day 1 of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival with a scheduled start time of 15:20. Below, you can view our top Ultima Handicap Chase tips from our expert tipsters Will Smith & David Young who will be offering Free Cheltenham betting tips on races at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.
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| Bookie | Selection | Best Odds | Market | Bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Leave Of Absence | 20/1 | Ante Post
EW 4 Places Ultima Handicap Chase |
Place Bet |
|
Knight Of Allen | 20/1 | Ante Post
EW 4 Places Ultima Handicap Chase |
Place Bet |
|
Myretown | 8/1 | EW 6 Places Ultima Handicap Chase |
Place Bet |
Date of Tips: 04/03/2026
Disclaimer The odds for these selections were correct at the time of publishing (08:00 04/03/2026) but may have changed since. Please check the latest price before placing your bet.
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Moving on to the Ultima Handicap Chase, and one of the long-range single figure handicap fancies for many, in the shape of Jagwar, who intriguingly will be joined by stable and owner-mate Iroko. Both sound as if they are potentially Grand National-bound and Jagwar looks to have some improvement to come up to staying trips finally but is priced accordingly.
The next couple in the market are priced up on connection’s belief and quotes more so than actual recent form, as respect is given to Handstands and Quebecois, but not for me at the prices. Myretown could easily show his best form back at the scene of his favourite crime, but the two that make the most appeal right now following the 5-day confirmation stage are Leave Of Absence and Knight Of Allen.
Both can be backed generally at 20/1 each-way NRMB and should be locked in at those prices now I’d say. In my opinion they really shouldn’t be getting any bigger as people start to delve properly into the form.
Anthony Honeyball is right at the top table when it comes to training staying handicap chasers, as once again evidenced by last weekend’s Doncaster demolition job by Jasmin De Grugy, and in Leave Of Absence he has a horse who is still extremely unexposed as a handicap chaser and will relish the drying ground.
You can easily forgive the pulled-up effort in November, and beyond that Leave Of Absence has a really striking profile, including a thumping handicap win, a course and distance novice chase win, an outstanding run in a big handicap at Ascot when doing much the best of the prominent racers, and a creditable effort in the Denman Chase on really unsuitable ground.
Knight Of Allen needs a few to come out to get a run and still holds an entry in the Jack Richards’ Novices’ Handicap Chase but looks a real tailor-made improving novice that so often runs well in this race.
Carefully handled to gain experience but not blitz a nice handicap mark, Jane Williams has been involved in the training of many a similar type to run well at the Cheltenham Festival before and may just have another live candidate in Knight Of Allen.
Last years winner should be on any shortlist for this contest given the way he took the race 12 months ago and the fact he’s coming here on the same rating that saw him sent off as favourite for the Coral Gold Cup which didn’t quite work out for him.
Things haven’t gone to plan since either, but he’s coming here as a well handicapped horse in my mind and on figures his penultimate run would confirm he’s a better horse than last year too.
This race has been won back-to-back twice in the last decade with Un Temps Pour Tout and Corach Rambler. I see MYRETOWN as a horse like those who can at least run well, and I think he’s overpriced for the fact he’s had a rough season and there’s some bullish connections of some rivals in here too
MYRETOWN – 0.5 STAR EW @ 8/1 (6 places 1/5)
The Ultima Handicap Chase is always a competitive race, making it a great opportunity to use free bets and other bookmaker promotions. Along with Best Odds Guaranteed, some betting sites offer Extra Places on each-way bets, while new customers can claim sign-up free bets. Below, we’ve rounded up the best Ultima Handicap Chase free bet offers to consider this year.
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| Selection | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jagwar | 9/2 |
| Iroko | 11/2 |
| Handstands | 8/1 |
| Myretown | 11/1 |
| Quebecois | 14/1 |
| Johnnywho | 16/1 |
| Hyland | 16/1 |
| Blaze The Way | 18/1 |
| Konfusion | 20/1 |
| The Doyen Chief | 20/1 |
| The Short Go | 25/1 |
| Leave Of Absence | 25/1 |
| Imperial Saint | 25/1 |
| Knight Of Allen | 25/1 |
| Resplendent Grey | 33/1 |
| Booster Bob | 33/1 |
| Western Knight | 33/1 |
| Blow Your Wad | 33/1 |
| Brave Fortune | 33/1 |
| Croke Park | 33/1 |
| Search For Glory | 40/1 |
| Guard Your Dreams | 40/1 |
| Rock My Way | 40/1 |
| Kim Roque | 50/1 |
| Insurrection | 50/1 |
| Ask Brewster | 66/1 |
| Patter Merchant | 66/1 |
| Alcedo | 66/1 |
| Margaret's Legacy | 66/1 |
| New Order | 66/1 |
| Peaky Boy | 66/1 |
| Eyed | 80/1 |
| Uncle Bert | 80/1 |
| Filanderer | 100/1 |
| Stolen Silver | 125/1 |
| Ultima Handicap Chase | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Time | Distance | Type |
| Tues 10/03/2026 | 15:20 | 3m 1f | Chase |
The Ultima Handicap Chase is a Grade 3 race that covers a distance of 3 miles and 1 furlong. The race takes place on the Old Course and has 20 fences to be jumped. The Ultima Handicap Chase is open to horses aged five years or older and is one of the most competitive handicap chases at the Cheltenham Festival.
For those of your looking for Ultima Handicap Chase tips ahead of Cheltenham 2026, this page will keep you fully updated as the Festival approaches. The Ultima is traditionally one of the most competitive handicaps of the week, attracting seasoned chasers and improving runners. Ultima Handicap Chase betting tips from Will Smith and Dave Young will give you an idea of the key runners to watch, and any selections that look overpriced in such a deep field. Visit our horse racing tips page to view all of today’s selections.
As well as ante-post tips for the Ultima Handicap Chase from our top racing analyst Will Smith, WhichBookie readers can also take advantage of our daily tips during Cheltenham week. Once the final declarations are confirmed, you’ll find updated Ultima Handicap Chase tips from both Will and Dave.
The Ultima has also featured in Will Smith’s EW Lucky 15 in previous Festivals, especially when a confident each-way option emerges at an appealing price. You’ll find Will’s Lucky 15 tips available on a daily basis throughout Cheltenham 2026.
If you’re planning a bet on the Ultima, don’t forget to check out our extra place races page where you’ll be able to see which bookies are offering additional places on the race.
Age and experience are strong factors in the Ultima. Fourteen of the last fifteen winners were aged nine or younger, and novices or second-season chasers have accounted for fifteen of the last eighteen renewals. Course form has often played a role too, with seven of the last eleven winners having already run at Cheltenham earlier in the season.
The market has been a poor guide, with only two and a half winning favourites since 1994. Irish-trained runners have also struggled despite regular representation, going 0 from 51 since 2006. Recent winners tend to sit within a narrow ratings range, with ten of the last thirteen rated between 139 and 151.
The Ultima Handicap Chase is run over 3 miles and 1 furlong on the Old Course.
No, it is a Premier Handicap, meaning weights are allocated according to official ratings.
Yes, the extended trip and Cheltenham’s uphill finish make proven stamina essential.
Yes, while uncommon, there have been horses who have won the race more than once. Four horses have won the Ultima more than once including Corach Rambler (2022, 2023) and Un Temps Pour Tout (2016, 2017).
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