Champion Bumper Odds

When it comes to the Cheltenham Festival races, all eyes are normally on the betting odds for the feature hurdle or steeplechase races. However, one race on the card flips all expectations, and this is the Champion Bumper.  The final race on day two of the festival, the Champion Bumper, is the most prestigious flat race to be held in the National Hunt calendar and often provides a first outing at the blue riband of jumping for horses who have yet to try their hand at novice hurdling.  

With the Champion Bumper providing such as key stepping stone for many horses, many trainers target this as the chance to land a win at the festival.

As a grade one race, the Champion Bumper betting odds often indicate which horse has the strongest form heading into the race and who will top the betting odds as favourite as the race gets underway.

Overview of The Champion Bumper 

The Cheltenham Festival is full of Grade 1 races, but the only race which is categorised as a flat race is the Champion Bumper. Established in 1992, it’s a race open to horses aged between four to six, a specific age limit that is not applied to other races at the Festival. Raced on the old course at Cheltenham, there are no hurdles or jumps to take. It’s simply a two-mile flat race in which some leading flat jockeys choose to partake.  

For those horses choosing to battle out for the £56,000 purse on offer, there are specific weights which they will need to carry, with four-year-olds carrying 10st 12lb and five to six-year-olds carrying 11st 5lb. Like many races at Cheltenham, mares who choose to take part will be given a 7lb allowance. 

Looking back at the most recent winners of this race, the trainer who stands out as providing successful runners is Willie Mullins, who has won the last three renewals with horses who have since featured at the festival or are expected to feature in the coming year.  This trend continues with horses such as Envoi Allen, Champagne Fever and Cue Card winning this race before winning at the Cheltenham Festival again in their career. 

Champion Bumper Betting Odds

The odds for the race are always changing, and the race favourite will not be confirmed until a few days before the main event, but you can still browse the ante post markets to see if a pre starting price suits your preference.

However, with recent wins pointing towards Irish success as a horse, trainer and even jockey, it’s understandable that those runners sit highly in the betting markets. 

Champion Bumper Past Winners

When it comes to previous winners of the Champion Bumper, there are many horses who have gone on to add further wins to their career at the Cheltenham Festival, so it's worth making a note of these successes when looking not only at the previous winners of this race, but also for other contests.

Champion Bumper Key Betting Trends

The Champion Bumper is a key race if you’re looking to identify future winners who are likely to pick up even more wins at the Cheltenham Festival. Narrowing down the betting odds within this race can be tricky as there can be a large number of runners, but there are key trends which can assist your selections.

One notable stat is that ten horses who have managed to win his race have also gone on to win their next race, which often means they’ll continue to have a fruitful career. Winning runners in this race predominantly come from Ireland, with 16 wins and 25 placings in recent renewals and to back that up is the leading trainer Willie Mullins, who has landed this race eight times since its inauguration. 

However, alongside those trends, there are other factors which can also influence a race, and we’ve listed some below: 

Horses Weight 

There are two different weight categories which horses fall under during the Champion Bumper, and 63% of the last winners have run off at least 11st 4lb on their last outing, which means they have form carrying the race. 

Horses Age

Within The Champion Bumper, there are three different ages at which horses can run at. Horses who have shown success at winning aged five or six often perform better within the race as they have better experience both on the course. 

Going Conditions

The going conditions for feature races are changeable due to the weather. This means more rain will make the ground heavier, and the sun will dry out the ground.  Heading into this race, bettors will need to look for a horse who has won on good to soft ground, as this follows the betting trends. 

Previous Form

Before selecting a horse and looking at the betting odds, one of the most important things to factor in is the form of the horse and if they landed a win last time out. Champion Bumper horses are no strangers to the racecourse, and 20 of the last 21 winners won last time out and over two miles. These victories will be shown by 1 listed next to their name on the racecard, so it should be easily identifiable. 

Bet on the Champion Bumper 

The Champion Bumper is a race which favours the favourite horse in the betting and the Irish trainers, so it’s always worth taking that form into consideration when browsing the markets. However, if you’re looking to place win or each-way bets, we have all of the latest race odds listed. 

Champion Bumper FAQs

What day is the Champion Bumper? 

The Champion Bumper is on Wednesday 13th March (day two of the festival). 

What is the distance of the Champion Bumper? 

The race is 2 miles and 87 yards. 

What type of race is the Champion Bumper? 

The race is a national hunt flat race which means no obstacles will be taken.

What time is the Champion Bumper raced? 

It is the final race on the card, so it takes place at 17:30pm. 

What is the prize money for the Champion Bumper? 

The purse on offer for this race is £75,000

What are the weights for the Champion Bumper? 

The weights carried are 10st 11lb and 11st 5lb. 

Who is the leading Jockey for the Champion Bumper?

There are two leading jockeys in this race as Ruby Walsh and Patrick Mullins both have three wins apiece.

Who is the leading trainer for the Champion Bumper?

Willie Mullins has been the dominant trainer for this race winning 12 races since 1996. Mullins has won the last three races with Ferny Hollow, Sir Gerhard and Facile Vega.

Where can I find Champion Bumper Betting Tips?

If you're looking to place a bet on the Champion Bumper but aren't sure exactly which horse to bet, check out our Champion Bumper betting tips blog.