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A spokesman for Jockey Club, the owners of the race, told Racing Post: Both the racecourse and the sponsor wanted to make the race clearly synonymous with the festival while protecting its heritage, including the important hunter chase race designation, and hopefully we ve done that.
The race is one of the oldest at the Festival, beginning in 1904. It is often referred to as the amateurs Gold Cup, as one of three to allow non-professional riders at the Festival.
Former champion of 2015 and 2016, Nina Carberry, told Racing Better: I really like the name St. James s Place Festival Hunters Chase – it reinforces the race s connection with the Home of Jump Racing whilst also keeping its tradition as one of the sport s most iconic Hunter Chases.