Betfair Chase Day 2025: Betfair Chase race analysis and preview

The 2025/26 National Hunt season is beginning to heat up, with the Betfair Chase the next port of call for racing’s elite, due off on Saturday, November 22. 

Worth around £200,000 in prize money, the race highlights a seven-race card on Saturday, November 22, as Merseyside welcomes the eyes of the racing world for another day of prestigious racing action. 

Nineteen scheduled fences and just over three miles of Haydock Park awaits runners looking to win the season’s opening Grade One contest. 

Horses in the race are known to go on and compete in the King George VI – on Boxing Day – and in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. 

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Grey Dawning

This year’s renewal will see trainer Dan Skelton look to continue his good start to the season, in which he bids to become Champion Trainer, after narrowly missing out to Willie Mullins last season. 

He currently leads the British Trainers’ Championship by just under £600,000, having collected £1.1m so far this season. 

Skelton’s Grey Dawning spearheads the market – at 11/10 – having finished first and second in his two previous runs on this card.  

On his chances, Skelton said: “I’m very happy with him, we are less than a fortnight away from the Betfair Chase now and I’m looking forward to it. 

“If the ground stays nice, then he should be favourite, but if it is slower, then it suits Royale Pagaille, who although is getting no younger, loves those conditions. 

“We hope we get a dry day, as we felt last year it went against us, with the weather at the last minute, but that is racing.” 

Royale Pagaille

Last season’s Aintree Bowl-second will arrive here to make his seasonal reappearance, following a season which featured one win (in a Listed Chase at Kelso) from four runs. 

Of the 15 races that Grey Dawning has completed, he has finished third twice – the only two times in which he has finished outside the first two. 

The eight-year-old gelding was pulled up in the King George VI after failing to repeat his 2023 success on this card – in the (Class Two) Graduation Chase – when tackling the Betfair Chase for the first time. 

He was defeated by trainer Venitia Williams’ Royale Pagaille, who is one of two in the betting at 4/1. 

The now 11-year-old record is yet to finish outside the first two in this race, having finished second in 2021 and recording consecutive wins in 2023 and 2024. 

However, last year’s triumph preceded a campaign in which he was pulled up twice – one of which was in the Grand National – and beaten 38+ lengths into sixth twice. 

The latter run came at the Cheltenham Festival, whilst his first two efforts after this race came at Haydock, a place where Royale Pagallie likes it. 

All but one of his six wins from 21 runs on British soil have come at the course – the other came at Kempton back in 2020. 

Haiti Couleurs

Trainer Rebecca Curtis’ Haiti Couleurs reverted to hurdles and made a successful return to action at Newbury earlier this month. 

It was the latest of three consecutive wins, including back-to-back wins in big fields at the Cheltenham Festival and in a Grade Three race at Fairyhouse. 

Those two runs were part of a six-race season in which Haiti Couleurs won four races and placed within the top three twice.

He joins Royale Pagaille at 4/1 in the market and is due to take on Grade One company for the first time, though he also holds an entry into the Coral Gold Cup later this month. 

Prior to Haiti Couleurs’ winning return, Curtis said: “It was just really important to get him out somewhere before either the Hennessy (Coral Gold Cup) at the end of the month or the Betfair Chase.

“He seems very good, obviously he’s not really a hurdler so I’m not going to be expecting too much, just a nice run where he travels well and finishes nicely, but after that it’s purely to get a nice blow into him.”

She added: “That (Coral Gold Cup) was the original plan with him, but we’ll have to see what the ground is like nearer the time. 

“It will also be interesting to see what the ground is at Haydock and what else runs in that, so we’ve a couple of options.”

Handstands

Handstands is trading at 5/1 and he is the only remaining horse priced shorter than 16/1 in the betting for this year’s Betfair Chase. 

Trainer Ben Pauling’s six-year-old finished second behind Resplendent Grey (40/1 for this race) on his seasonal reappearance at the start of November. 

Last season ended when he was pulled up behind Caldwell Potter, in his third start in a Grade One contest. 

That run followed three consecutive wins, the latter of which was the (Grade One) Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown, where he defeated Jango Baie – who went on to win the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival. 

Others in the market include trainer Gordon Elliott’s Gigginstown Stud-owned Stellar Story, who is out at 16/1. 

Marsh Wren comes next at 25/1, whilst Myretown is at 33/1, with all three likely to apply their trade elsewhere. 

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