The curtain continues to raise on the National Hunt season at Cheltenham this Saturday and we focus our attention on the Marie Currie Care Handicap Chase and use the unique features within Proform to reveal key stats, facts, trends and pointers for this race based on the last 17 renewals since 1997.

Favourites

4 favourites and 7 second favourites have won this race

Paddy Power Gold Cup

As detailed below, recent winners of the race have a connection with the Paddy Power Gold Cup in some way, shape or form.

• 2013 winner John’s Spirit went on to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup and was 3^rd in Byrne Group Plate at the Festival in 2014
• 2012 winner Nadiya De La Vega was then 3^rd in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, 3^rd at the Trails day at the end of January and went on to win a Grade 3 chase at Fairyhouse in April 2013
• 2011 winner Billie Magern could only manage 5^th in the Paddy Power
• 2010 winner Edgbriar was only 10^th in the Paddy Power
• 2009 winner Poquelin was 2^nd in the Paddy Power and then won the Boylesports Gold Cup at the December Meeting and was 2^nd in the Ryanair Chase at the 2010 Festival

Country of Breeding

French bred horses have won 5 from 43 (67% better than expected) and German bred horses have won 2 from 5 however, the later is from a small sample size.

GB bred horses are 3 from 43 (31% worse than expected). Irish bred horses statistically perform 13% lower than expected (7 from a population of 95 horses).

Age

6 to 9yo’s have won all 17 renewals of this race with 6yo’s winning 7 races in total. Younger horses (4 and 5yo’s) are 0 from 8 and horses aged 10yo+ are 0 from 30.

Headgear

Horses wearing headgear perform 48% below expectations winning 2 races from a population of 48 horses. Contrast this against horses not donning any form of headgear who have a positive expectation, 14% above normal (15 from 149).

Days Since Last Run

Take note of horses making their season debut who have won 12 of the last 17 renewals (from a populations of 106 runners, 17% better than expected).

Trainers

Jonjo O’Neill trained horses have 2 won races and paced on 2 occasions from 9 runners (44% win/place SR). Philip Hobbs 0 from 18 (3 placed). Venetia Williams 1 win and 2 placed from 7 runners (42% win place SR) and Nigel Twiston-Davies 2 wins and 1 place from 12 runners

Jockey's

Horses ridden by claimers 0 from 27