- The RSA Chase is run with its current title for the second time this year although is backed by one of Cheltenham’s longest-running sponsors. It was run as the Royal & SunAlliance Chase up to 2008 and as the Royal SunAlliance Chase in 1997. Sun Alliance, which merged with Royal Insurance in 1996, previously backed the Sun Alliance Chase for 23 years and sponsored at Cheltenham for 26 years altogether. From 1971-73, the Foxhunter Chase was titled the Sun Alliance & London Foxhunters.
- Sun Alliance & London was the first sponsor outside racing to embrace commercial sponsorship at The Festival. Only the tote precedes the insurance company. Before 1974 the race was titled the Broadway Novices’ Chase and the Totalisator Champion Novices’ Chase.
- Since 1959, seven horses have won both the RSA Chase and totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. They are: 1959 Mandarin (Gold Cup 1962) 1963 Arkle (Gold Cup 1964-6) 1974 Ten Up (Gold Cup 1975) 1979 Master Smudge (Gold Cup 1980 on the disqualification of Tied Cottage) 1990 Garrison Savannah (Gold Cup 1991) 1999 Looks Like Trouble (Gold Cup 2000) 2007 Denman (Gold Cup 2008) To this list might be added the name of Tied Cottage, winner of the RSA Chase in 1976 and the Gold Cup in 1980, before subsequent disqualification.
- The biggest field for the race has been 30, in 1986, and the smallest eight, in 1993. The current safety limit is 20.
- Willie Mullins has the best record among current trainers in the contest, having landed three victories with Rule Supreme (2004), Florida Pearl (1998) and Cooldine (2009). Legendary handler Fred Winter also saddled three winners of the RSA Chase – Killiney (1973), Pengrail (1975) and Brown Chamberlin (1982).
- Irish-trained winners number 14 in total, the latest being Cooldine in 2009.
- The most successful jockey in the RSA Chase has been Peter Scudamore, who notched up a hat-trick from 1991 to 1993 with Rolling Ball, Miinnehoma and Young Hustler. Ruby Walsh is the only current jockey to have landed the race twice, having won on Denman (2007) and Cooldine (2009).
- The longest-priced winners since 1964 are Hussard Collonges in 2002 and Canny Danny in 1983, both at 33/1, with Arkle the shortest-priced at 4/9 in 1963.
- The fastest running of the race was won by Lord Noelie in 2000 at 6 mins 5.3s, beating the previous best of 6 mins 6.6s set by Miinnehoma in 1992.
- The West Awake is the only horse to have won both what is now the Neptune Investment Managment Novices’ Hurdle (previously sponsored by RSA) and the RSA Chase. He won the Hurdle in 1987 and the Chase in 1988.
RSA Chase - Roll
(RSA Chase from 2009, Royal & SunAlliance Chase 1998-2008, Royal Sun Alliance Chase 1997, Sun Alliance Chase 1974-96, Totalisator Champion Chase 1971-73, Totalisator Champion Novices' Chase 1964-1970, Broadway Chase 1961-63, Broadway Novices' Chase before 1961)
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Cooldine | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins IRE | 9/4F |
| 2008 | Albertas Run | Tony McCoy | Jonjo O'Neill | 4/1F |
| 2007 | Denman | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | 6/5F |
| 2006 | Star De Mohaison | Barry Geraghty | Paul Nicholls | 14/1 |
| 2005 | Trabolgan | Mick FitzGerald | Nicky Henderson | 5/1 |
| 2004 | Rule Supreme | David Casey | Willie Mullins IRE | 25/1 |
| 2003 | One Knight | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs | 15/2 |
| 2002 | Hussard Collonges | Russ Garritty | Peter Beaumont | 33/1 |
| 2001 | ||||
| 2000 | Lord Noelie | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight | 9/2 |
| 1999 | Looks Like Trouble | Paul Carberry | Noel Chance | 16/1 |
| 1998 | Florida Pearl | Richard Dunwoody | Willie Mullins IRE | 11/8F |
| 1997 | Hanakham | Richard Dunwoody | Ron Hodges | 13/2 |
| 1996 | Nahthen Lad | Warren Marston | Jenny Pitman | 7/1 |
| 1995 | Brief Gale | Philip Hide | Josh Gifford | 13/2 |
| 1994 | Monsieur Le Cure | Peter Niven | John Edwards | 18 |
| 1993 | Young Hustler | Peter Scudamore | Nigel Twiston-Davies | 9/4 |
| 1992 | Miinnehoma | Peter Scudamore | Martin Pipe | 7/2F |
| 1991 | Rolling Ball | Peter Scudamore | Martin Pipe | 7/2F |
| 1990 | Garrison Savannah | Ben de Haan | Jenny Pitman | 12/1 |
| 1989 | Envopak Token | Peter Hobbs | Josh Gifford | 16/1 |
| 1988 | The West Awake | Simon Sherwood | Oliver Sherwood | 11/4F |
| 1987 | Kildimo | Graham Bradley | Toby Balding | 13/2 |
| 1986 | Cross Master | Reg Crank | Tom Bill | 16/1 |
| 1985 | Antarctic Bay | Frank Berry | Pat Hughes IRE | 6/4F |
| 1984 | A Kinsman | Geordie Dun | John Brockbank | 10/1 |
| 1983 | Canny Danny | Niall Madden | Jimmy FitzGerald | 33/1 |
| 1982 | Brown Chamberlin | John Francome | Fred Winter | 7/1 |
| 1981 | Lesley Ann | Colin Brown | David Elsworth | 25/1 |
| 1980 | Lacson | Steve Knight | Bob Hawker | 16/1 |
| 1979 | Master Smudge | Richard Hoare | Arthur Barrow | 16/1 |
| 1978 | Sweet Joe | Steve Smith Eccles | Tom Jones | 12/1 |
| 1977 | Gay Spartan | Michael Dickinson | Tony Dickinson | 13/2 |
| 1976 | Tied Cottage | Tommy Carberry | Dan Moore IRE | 12/1 |
| 1975 | Pengrail | John Francome | Fred Winter | 12/1 |
| 1974 | Ten Up | Tommy Carberry | Jim Dreaper IRE | 7/2 |
| 1973 | Killiney | Richard Pitman | Fred Winter | 8/15F |
| 1972 | Clever Scot | David Mould | Tom Jones | 11/1 |
| 1971 | Tantalum | David Nicholson | Michael Pope | 14/1 |
| 1970 | Proud Tarquin | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper IRE | 100/7 |
| 1969 | Spanish Steps | John Cook | Edward Courage | 100/8 |
| 1968 | Herring Gull | Joe Crowley | Paddy Mullins IRE | 9/1 |
| 1967 | Border Jet | Josh Gifford | Ryan Price | 4/1F |
| 1966 | Different Class | David Mould | Peter Cazalet | 10/1 |
| 1965 | Arkloin | Liam McLoughlin | Tom Dreaper IRE | 100/7 |
| 1964 | Buona Notte | Johnnie Haine | Bob Turnell | 11/8F |
| 1963 | Arkle | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper IRE | 4/9F |
| 1962 | Caduval | Laurie Morgan | Bogden Lubecki | 11/2 |
| 1961 | Grallagh Cnoc | Pat Taaffe | Joe Osborne IRE | 8/13F |
| 1960 | Solfen | Pat Taaffe | Willie O'Grady IRE | 5/4F |
| 1959 | Mac Joy | Arthur Freeman | Ken Bailey | 4/1 |
| 1958 | Just Awake | Arthur Freeman | Peter Cazalet | 100/7 |
| 1957 | Mandarin | Michael Scudamore | Fulke Walwyn | 8/1 |
| 1956 | Polar Flight | Tommy Cusack | George Spann | 100/7 |
| 1955 | Great Eliza | B Cooper | Danny Morgan IRE | 7/2F |
| 1954 | Glenbeigh | Dave Dick | Fulke Walwyn | EvsF |
| 1953 | Coneyburrow | Pat Taaffe | Joe Osborne IRE | 100/8 |
| 1952 | Good And Plenty | Jimmy Power | Jack Fawcus | 8/1 |
| 1951 | On View | Bryan Marshall | Fulke Walwyn | 8/1 |
| 1950 (I) | Manicou | Lord Mildmay | Peter Cazalet | 2/1F |
| 1950 (II) | Arctic Gold | Glen Kelly | Gerald Balding | 100/30 |
| 1949 (I) | Glen Fire | Mr J Spencer | Syd Mercer | 100/8 |
| 1949 (II) | Comeragh | D Kelly | Major Noel Furlong | 10/1 |
| 1948 (I) | Blakely Grove | Joe Maguire | Ivor Anthony | 5/4F |
| 1948 (II) | Mountain Prince | Bryan Marshall | Fulke Walwyn | 100/8 |
| 1947 | ||||
| 1946 | Birthlaw | Ted Vinall | Tommy Rayson | 20/1 |
