Future Champion Novices' Chase
| Class | Grade 2 |
|---|---|
| Location | Ayr Racecourse Ayrshire, Scotland |
| Race type | Steeplechase |
| Sponsor | Jordan Electrics |
| Website | Ayr |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2m 4½f (4,163 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 0 lb Allowances 7 lb for mares Penalties for wins 5 lb for Class 1 wfa chase 3 lb for Class 2 wfa or Class 1 hcap chase |
| Purse | £24,000 (2021) 1st: £13,855 |
| 2023 | ||
| Datsalrightgino | Thunder Rock | Unexpected Party |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ||
| Do Your Job | Minella Drama | Il Ridoto |
| 2021 | ||
| Allmankind | Malystic | Whoshotthesheriff |
| 2020-2011 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | ||
| Secret Investor | Louis' Vac Pouch | Monbeg Legend |
| 2018 | ||
| Bigmartre | Cobra De Mai | Only two finished |
| 2017 | ||
| Cloudy Dream | Theinval | Oldgrangewood |
| 2016 | ||
| Le Mercurey | Bristol De Mai | Otago Trail |
| 2015 | ||
| Top Gamble | Seventh Sky | Solar Impulse |
| 2014 | ||
| Eduard | Valdez | Aibrean |
| 2013 | ||
| Rajdhani Express | Tap Night | Desert Cry |
| 2012 | ||
| Pacha Du Polder | Rival D'estruval | Lidar |
| 2011 | ||
| Gilbarry | Sam Lord | Nadiya De La Vega |
| 2010-2001 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
| French Opera | Tchico Polos | Fiendish Flame |
| 2009 | ||
| Deep Purple | I'msingingtheblues | Raysrock |
| 2008 | ||
| Starzaan | Noland | Frankie Figg |
| 2007 | ||
| Natal | Faasel | Harmony Brig |
| 2006 | ||
| Monet's Garden | Le Volfoni | Kasthari |
| 2005 | ||
| Locksmith | My Will | Fool on the Hill |
| 2004 | ||
| Keltic Bard | Thisthatandtother | Better Days |
| 2003 | ||
| Vol Solitaire | Tarxien | Farmer Jack |
| 2002 | ||
| Valley Henry | Man on the Hill | Big-And-Bold |
| 2001 | ||
| Grey Abbey | Hugo De Grez | Running Moss |
| 2000-1991 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ||
| Gingembre | Spirit Dancer | Bosuns Mate |
| 1999 | ||
| Bouchasson | Scotia Nostra | Irbee |
| 1998 | ||
| Eirespray | Edelweis Du Moulin | Ingletonian |
| 1997 | ||
| Sparky Gayle | Macgeorge | Stately Home |
| 1996 | ||
| Addington Boy | Challenger Du Luc | Oscail An Doras |
| 1995 | ||
| Dancing Paddy | Morceli | Wee River |
| 1994 | ||
| See More Indians | Gallateen | Rouyan |
| 1993 | ||
| Cab On Target | Persian House | Montpelier Lad |
| 1992 | ||
| The Illywhacker | Armagret | Whaat Fettle |
| 1991 | ||
| High Knowl | Lothian Captain | Young Benz |
| 1990-1988 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | ||
| Celtic Shot | Young Snugfit | Highfrith |
| 1989 | ||
| Southern Minstrel | Interim Lib | Tartan Tailor |
| 1988 | ||
| Jim Thorpe | Colonel Rose | High Debate |
The Future Champion Novices' Chase was a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which was open to horses aged five years or older. It was run at Ayr, Scotland, over a distance of about 2 miles, 4 furlongs and 110 yards (4,163 metres), and during its running there were seventeen fences to be jumped. The race was for novice chasers, but was cut from the race calendar ahead of the 2023/24 National Hunt season.
The event was formerly contested over 2 miles, and for a period it was known by various sponsored titles. It was renamed in 1988, and it was extended to 2 miles 4 furlongs and given Grade 1 status in 1991. It returned to its former length for a single running in 1995, and at this point it was relegated to Grade 2 level.
The Future Champion Novices' Chase is run at Ayr on the same afternoon as the Scottish Grand National. The winners Gingembre and Grey Abbey both subsequently achieved victory in the latter race.
In April 2023 the British Horseracing Authority announced the removal of the race from the 2023/24 programme.[1]
Records
Leading jockey since 1968 (3 wins):
- Ron Barry – The Benign Bishop (1973), Easby Abbey (1975), Little Bay (1981)
- Jonjo O'Neill – Crofton Hall (1977), King Weasel (1978), Night Nurse (1979)
- Ruby Walsh - Val Solitaire (2003), Natal (2007), Pacha du Polder (2012)
Leading trainer since 1968 (7 wins):
- Paul Nicholls - See More Indians (1994), Valley Henry (2002), Val Solitaire (2003), Natal (2007), Pacha du Polder (2012), Le Mercurey (2016), Secret Investor (2019)
Winners
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Certainement | 6 | Stan Mellor | Edward Courage |
| 1969 | Chesapeake Bay | 6 | Gerry Scott | Neville Crump |
| 1970 | Mischievous Monk | 6 | Stan Hayhurst | Lord Kilmany |
| 1971 | Chorus | 10 | Stan Mellor | Harry Thomson Jones |
| 1972 | Avondhu | 9 | Peter Brogan | P Chesmore |
| 1973 | The Benign Bishop | 6 | Ron Barry | Ken Oliver |
| 1974 | Winter Rain | 6 | Michael Dickinson | Tony Dickinson |
| 1975 | Easby Abbey | 8 | Ron Barry | Peter Easterby |
| 1976 | Cromwell Road | 6 | David Goulding | Gordon W. Richards |
| 1977 | Crofton Hall | 8 | Jonjo O'Neill | J Dixon |
| 1978 | King Weasel | 6 | Jonjo O'Neill | Peter Easterby |
| 1979 | Night Nurse | 8 | Jonjo O'Neill | Peter Easterby |
| 1980 | Don't Forget | 6 | Ridley Lamb | Arthur Stephenson |
| 1981 | Little Bay | 6 | Ron Barry | Gordon W. Richards |
| 1982 | Full Sutton | 9 | Bob Davies | Derek Kent |
| 1983 | Mountain Hays | 8 | Alan Brown | Peter Easterby |
| 1984 | Noddy's Ryde | 7 | Neale Doughty | Gordon W. Richards |
| 1985 | Buck House | 7 | Tommy Carmody | Mouse Morris (Ir) |
| 1986 | Amber Rambler | 7 | Steve Youlden | Harry Wharton |
| 1987 | General Chandos | 6 | Johnny Bradburne[a] | Johnny Bradburne |
| 1988 | Jim Thorpe | 7 | Mark Dwyer | Gordon W. Richards |
| 1989 | Southern Minstrel | 6 | Chris Grant | Arthur Stephenson |
| 1990 | Celtic Shot | 8 | Graham McCourt | Charlie Brooks |
| 1991 | High Knowl | 8 | Graham McCourt | Martin Pipe |
| 1992 | The Illywhacker | 7 | Mark Pitman | Jenny Pitman |
| 1993 | Cab on Target | 7 | Peter Niven | Mary Reveley |
| 1994 | See More Indians | 7 | Richard Dunwoody | Paul Nicholls |
| 1995 | Dancing Paddy | 7 | Richard Dunwoody | Ken Cunningham-Brown |
| 1996 | Addington Boy | 8 | Tony Dobbin | Gordon W. Richards |
| 1997 | Sparky Gayle | 7 | Brian Storey | Colin Parker |
| 1998 | Eirespray | 7 | Richard Guest | Sue Smith |
| 1999 | Bouchasson | 6 | Robert Widger[a] | Philip Hobbs |
| 2000 | Gingembre | 6 | Warren Marston | Lavinia Taylor |
| 2001 | Grey Abbey | 7 | Brian Harding | Barry Murtagh |
| 2002 | Valley Henry | 7 | Barry Geraghty | Paul Nicholls |
| 2003 | Vol Solitaire | 5 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2004 | Keltic Bard | 7 | Noel Fehily | Charlie Mann |
| 2005 | Locksmith | 5 | Timmy Murphy | Martin Pipe |
| 2006 | Monet's Garden | 8 | Tony Dobbin | Nicky Richards |
| 2007 | Natal [b] | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2008 | Starzaan | 9 | Robert Thornton | Hughie Morrison |
| 2009 | Deep Purple | 8 | Paul Moloney | Evan Williams |
| 2010 | French Opera | 7 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2011 | Gilbarry | 6 | Graham Lee | Malcolm Jefferson |
| 2012 | Pacha du Polder | 5 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2013 | Rajdhani Express | 6 | Sam Waley-Cohen[a] | Nicky Henderson |
| 2014 | Eduard | 6 | Brian Harding | Nicky Richards |
| 2015 | Top Gamble | 7 | Richard Johnson | Richard Lee |
| 2016 | Le Mercurey | 6 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Paul Nicholls |
| 2017 | Cloudy Dream | 7 | Brian Hughes | Malcolm Jefferson |
| 2018 | Bigmartre | 7 | Harry Bannister | Harry Whittington |
| 2019 | Secret Investor | 7 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| no race 2020 [c] | ||||
| 2021 | Allmankind | 5 | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
| 2022 | Do Your Job | 8 | Richard Patrick | Michael Scudamore |
| 2023 | Datsalrightgino | 7 | Gavin Sheehan | Jamie Snowden |
See also
References
- ^ "Package of changes agreed to help strengthen performance of British Jump racing". British Horseracing Authority. 27 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
- ^ "Coronavirus: Horse racing in Great Britain suspended until end of April". BBC Sport. 17 March 2020.
External links
- Race Recordings (1979, 1985-2008) youtube.com
- pedigreequery.com – Future Champion Novices' Chase – Ayr.
- Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992–93. Portway Press. 1993. p. 172.