Ryanair Chase Odds 2023
Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival sees the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase run over two miles and five furlongs. First, run in 2005, it’s a championship event for horses that lacked the speed for the two-mile Champion Chase and the endurance for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Two horses have won the Ryanair Chaise twice – Albertas Run in 2010 and 2011 and Allaho in 2021 and 2022.
As with many Cheltenham Festival races, Irish trainer Willie Mullins has enjoyed plenty of recent success in the Ryanair, saddling the winner five times, including the last three years.
This year though, Mullins may have to settle for a runner-up spot with the Nicky Henderson- trained Shishkin the odds-on favourite for Thursday’s race. A two-time winner at the Cheltenham Festival, Shishkin looked like a revelation stepping up in trip when landing the Ascot Chase in February, and he is very much the horse to beat.
Latest Ryanair Chase Odds *
*Best prices at the time of writing
Shishkin 8/11
Blue Lord 6/1
Janidil 7/1
Fury Road 9/1
Envoi Allen 12/1
French Dynamite 14/1
Ga Law 20/1
Hitman 20/1
Chacun Poir Soi 25/1
Ryanair Chase Odds and Entries 2023
This year’s Ryanair Chase revolves around Shishkin, who has already recorded two Cheltenham Festival wins in his career – the Supreme Novices Hurdle in 2021 and the Arkle Chase in 202. Last year saw him sent off a short-price for the Queen Mother Champion Chase but was pulled up after failing to spark.
He disappointed in the Tingle Creek at Sandown in December, so connections decided to step him up in trip, and he put in an excellent performance when landing the Ascot Chase. This is a tougher race, and Shishkin will need to be on top of his game as he faces some strong Irish-trained horses, including Blue Lord and Janidil for Willia Mullins, Fury Road for Gordon Elliott, and Envoi Allen for Henry de Bromhead.
Blue Lord won over the Ryanair trip on seasonal debut at Clonmel before two solid efforts over 2 miles and 1 furlong – he’s a strong horse over varying trips and looks the biggest danger to Shishkin.
Betting on the Ryanair Chase
The Ryanair Chase shares the spotlight on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival with the Grade 1 Stayers Hurdle. Allaho became only the second dual winner of the Ryanair in 2021-2022 but injury has prevented him from seeking a hat-trick in 2023. That leaves the way clear for a new name on the roll of honour alongside the likes of Cue Card (2013), Vautour (2016) and Un De Sceaux (2017).
The market has been a good guide for those having a bet on the Ryanair Chase. There have been five winning favourites in the past twelve seasons. There was only winner that did not feature in the first three in the Ryanair Chase betting during that time, Uxizandre at 16-1 in 2015.
Seven-year-olds have the best recent record in the Ryanair Chase with six wins in the past ten seasons. Willie Mullins leads the training statistics with five winners, all coming in the last seven years. The latest Ryanair Chase odds have Nicky Henderson’s Shishkin as the new favourite following his return to form in the Ascot Chase in February. He started odds-on favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2022 but was pulled up. It was later revealed that he was suffering from a rare bone disorder but he seems in rude health at present.
Ryanair Chase News
Willie Mullins has won five of the last seven runnings of the Ryanair, but he faces strong opposition this year in the form of the Nicky Henderson-trained Shishkin. Mullins will go into battle with Blue Lord, Janidil and Chacun Pour Soi – all representing significant owners for the Closutton trainer.
A bone condition was given as the cause for Shishkin’s lacklustre run in the Queen Mother Champion Chase last year, and he arrives at Cheltenham in 2023 aiming to land a third Festival victory. He could not have impressed more when destroying the field in the Ascot Chase, and he looks like a great bet to land the Ryanair for Team GB.
An intriguing runner in the Ryanair lineup is the Jamie Snowden-trained Ga Law, who won the Paddy Power Gold Cup and steps up into Grade 1 company for the first time. He fell at the final fence last time, and it will be interesting to see how he faces higher-quality horses.