squareintheair.com Handicap Chase | Cheltenham, Friday 23 October | 15:35
The jumps season is properly under way at Cheltenham's Showcase meeting, and Friday's main event over fences is the squareintheair.com Handicap Chase. It's a Class 2 handicap over about two miles on the Old Course, and the shorter trip suits horses with plenty of speed who jump well at pace.
Last year's winner took home more than £52,000, so expect a competitive field. Recent runnings have gone to Dan and Harry Skelton's Calico, who won in 2024 and again in 2025. Irish-trained horses have also won two of the last four.
Trends to note
- 10 of the last 11 winners started at 15/2 or shorter, so big-priced shocks have been rare
- 10 of the last 11 were coming back from a break of at least five months
- 9 of the last 11 were aged six to eight
- 9 of the last 11 carried 10st 10lb or more
- 9 of the last 11 had won between one and three times over fences