Close Brothers Novices Handicap Chase

The Close Brothers Novices Handicap Chase is a Listed National Hunt chase which horses of the age of 5 or older can enter. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham and runners have to jump 16 fences on their way round. The Novices Handicap Chase is a race for novice chasers with a handicap rating between 0 and 140.

The race was established when a fourth day was added to the Cheltenham Festival in 2005 and is now the final race on Champion Day (Day 2).

The betting on the Close Brothers Novices Handicap Chase looks wide open right now, with a lot of top handicappers in the betting. Only 2 favourites have ever won the race so it can often be worth trying to find some value at a bigger price. The race’s most high-profile winner was the 2012 winner Hunt Ball, who won on 7 occasions during an exceptional campaign.