The Betfair Chase at Haydock Park is the first of Britain’s major Grade 1 stayers’ chases of the season.
The Betfair Chase: 5 Greatest Ever Haydock Renewals
The Haydock race is run over three miles in late November and can often be an attritional contest. It has a decorated roll of honour despite only being established in 2005.
Alongside the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, the Haydock race is part of jump racing’s coveted Triple Crown. Here we look back on five fantastic winners of the Betfair Chase.
Betfair Chase Winners: Kauto Star (2006)
Kauto Star is the most successful horse in Betfair Chase history with four wins to his name for trainer Paul Nicholls. The first of those came in 2006 with Ruby Walsh in the saddle as Kauto Star made it 2-2 on the season after bagging the Old Roan Chase at Aintree on his comeback.
He hammered top Irish talent Beef Or Salmon by 17 lengths in second that afternoon and went to Sandown a few weeks later to win the Tingle Creek over two miles. He was unbeaten in six runs in the 2006/07 season, including the King George and Gold Cup, and won the Betfair Triple Crown Bonus of £1m.
Betfair Chase Winners: Kauto Star (2009)
By the winter of 2009 Kauto Star had won a second Betfair Chase, landed the Cheltenham Gold Cup in ’07 and lost it in ’08 and also unseated Sam Thomas in this race in ’08 at the final fence.
He regained his Haydock crown in dramatic fashion, showing all his guts and determination in a sustained duel with future Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander for Nigel Twiston-Davies and Paddy Brennan, the pair crossing the line almost in unison but with Kauto Star getting the verdict by a nose after a gruelling three miles.
Betfair Chase Winners: Cue Card (2016)
Like Kauto, Colin Tizzard’s Cue Card was immensely popular with the racing public and made himself a standing dish in this race, running five years in succession from 2013-2017 and picking up three wins. He beat Dynaste into second at the first attempt, was beaten by Silviniaco Conti a year later and then turned the tables on that rival in 2015.
In 2016, he faced Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Coneygree and handed out a comprehensive defeat, moving to lead at four out and dominating up the home straight in a 15-length win. He would finish his career with figures of 14112 in this race.
Betfair Chase: Bristol De Mai (2017)
Bristol De Mai loved the mud and he loved Haydock, a potent combination when it came to this particular November Grade 1. The grey, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies, won nine times over fences in his career and five of them were at Haydock – three in this race.
Though he’d go on to defeat top chasers Native River and Clan Des Obeaux into second in 2018 and 2019, it was his first win in 2017 that stands out. Daryl Jacob’s partner edged Cue Card for favouritism at the off but it was a one-horse race in reality as Bristol De Mai drew clear from five out, eventually crossing the line a whopping 57 lengths clear of the three-time winner.
Betfair Chase Winners: Protektorat (2022)
With Bristol De Mai by now 11-years-old and closing in on retirement, he was only fourth in 2022, while reigning champion A Plus Tard misfired on his first start since winning the Gold Cup at Cheltenham the previous spring. That paved the way for Protektorat to deliver in style for Dan and Harry Skelton, taking over at the head of affairs from Frodon and powering clear from the final fence to win by 11 lengths with Eldorado Allen in second.
By James Mason
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