The Grade 2 Betfair Exchange Chase (Saturday 9 February) is one of the most important trials for the Champion Chase and great champions such as Dunkirk, Viking Flagship, Azertyioup, Master Minded, and current Champion Chaser have all used it as a stepping stone to victory at the Cheltenham Festival.
First run in 1953 as the Game Spirit Chase, it is now run over a distance of 2 miles and 92 yards at Newbury, and there are 13 fences to be jumped.
Betfair Exchange Chase 10-Year-Trends
- Winners have been aged between five and 10
- Weights carried by the winners have ranged from 11-2 to 11-10
- Winners have been rated between 155 and 178
- Six favourites have won
- SP’s of the winners have ranged in between 30/100 and 4/1
- Paul Nicholls has trained three of the last 10 winners
Betfair Exchange Chase 2019 Main Contenders
Fox Norton
166-rated nine-year-old who was beaten 13-lengths by Altior in the 2017 renewal of this race but is capable of high-class from. His best runs include finishing runner-up in the 2017 Champion Chase, after which he won the Melling Chase and the Punchestown Champion Chase, beating Un De Sceaux in the latter. Suffered an injury in the 2017 King George Chase but returned in good form when finishing seven-length behind Altior at Ascot.
Un De Sceaux
168-rated chaser who has won 12 of his 19 races over fences and has also run some fantastic races in defeat, including when beaten just four lengths by Altior in this season’s Tingle Creek Chase. He is older than ideal at 11 but isn’t currently showing any signs of regressing. Would possibly be favourite if turning up, which makes his ante-post odds of 5/2 look very tempting, but those odds also suggest his participation may be in doubt.
Waiting Patiently
Officially the top-rated horse in the field at 170, but connections have stated that his primary target is likely to be next week’s Ascot Chase. But, as he loves soft ground, his trainer Ruth Jefferson could be tempted to let him take his chance. His current odds of 5/1 will disappear rapidly if he does run but those odds also suggest it’s unlikely.
Hell’s Kitchen
Set to receive 6lb from the principals but that still leaves with a bit to find on official rating. This big horse is also untested in this grade and the balance of his form doesn’t suggest he’s up to winning this if any of the market leaders run up to anything like their best.
Betfair Exchange Chase 2019 Summary & Betting Tip
A potential ante-post nightmare for punters and, if you’re taking big odds about Un De Sceaux or Waiting Patiently, there’s a chance they might not run. Fox Norton looks more likely to take his chance and his form entitles him to win this easily if his fellow market leaders are absent. So, he has to be the pick, even though it may be worth holding all bets until nearer the day.
Betfair Exchange Chase 2019 Tip
Fox Norton