RSA Chase

The RSA Chase is one of the longer races at the Cheltenham Festival at just over three miles in length and with 19 fences in total to be jumped. The RSA Chase traditionally takes place in the middle of Ladies Day.

RSA Chase Specifications

The RSA Chase specifications are similar to a lot of other races at the Cheltenham Festival. The race is open to five-year-old horses and older. There is a minimum weight of 11 stones and three pounds and a maximum of 11 stones and four pounds.

There is a prize purse of around £150,000 available to the winner of the race with a little over £85,000 going to the winner.

History of the RSA Chase

The history of the RSA Chase is a lot longer than the majority of other race card filling races that are held at the Cheltenham Festival each year. The RSA Chase was formerly known as the Broadway Novices' Chase from 1946 until the middle of the 1960s.

The history of the RSA Chase changed slightly in 1964 when officials declared that the race would bear the name of the race sponsor indefinitely. RSA Insurance are the current sponsors of the race.

The history of the RSA chase has been broken only twice in the event's history. There was severe frost in 1947 that caused a number of race meetings and events to be cancelled and the 2001 foot and mouth crisis virtually wiped National Hunt racing off the calendar for a brief period. 

The RSA Chase is respected around the National Hunt community as the race that trainers enter their horses in to see if they will cut the standard for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Denman is the last winner in the history of the RSA Chase to have gone on and secured a win in the Gold Cup.

Famous RSA Chase Records 

There have been a number of famous RSA Chase records that have been formed throughout the decades since 1946. Some of these famous RSA Chase records may never be beaten.

Pat Taaffe holds one of the most famous RSA Chase records as a jockey with five wins in 1953, 1960, 1961, 1963 and 1970. Fulke Walwyn has trained the most winners in the history of the RSA Chase with a total of four.

Last Year's RSA Chase Winner

Last year's RSA Chase winner was Weapon's Amnesty trained by Charles Byrnes and jockeyed by Davy Russell. The RSA Chase has been the perfect springboard for Weapon's Amnesty as the horse has continued to do well and be successful ever since. 

RSA Chase Betting

RSA Chase betting is normally fierce and competitive because the race comes just before the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The Champion Chase takes some of the highest volumes of cash for the whole festival.

RSA Chase betting is always busy because a lot of punters at the Cheltenham Festival like to make back the majority of their losses before one of the big races across the four days takes place.