Future Champion Novices' Chase
The Future Champion Novices' Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ayr, Scotland, over a distance of about 2 miles, 4 furlongs and 110 yards (4,163 metres), and during its running there are seventeen fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.
| Grade 2 race | |
| 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 | £45,000 (2019) 1st: £25,979 |
| 2019 | ||
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| Secret Investor | Louis' Vac Pouch | Monbeg Legend |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ||
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| Bigmartre | Cobra De Mai | Only two finished |
| 2017 | ||
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| Cloudy Dream | Theinval | Oldgrangewood |
| 2016 | ||
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| Le Mercurey | Bristol De Mai | Otago Trail |
| 2015 | ||
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| Top Gamble | Seventh Sky | Solar Impulse |
| 2014 | ||
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| Eduard | Valdez | Aibrean |
| 2013 | ||
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| Rajdhani Express | Tap Night | Desert Cry |
| 2012 | ||
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| Pacha Du Polder | Rival D'estruval | Lidar |
| 2011 | ||
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| Gilbarry | Sam Lord | Nadiya De La Vega |
| 2010-2001 | ||
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| 2010 | ||
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| French Opera | Tchico Polos | Fiendish Flame |
| 2009 | ||
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| Deep Purple | I'msingingtheblues | Raysrock |
| 2008 | ||
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| Starzaan | Noland | Frankie Figg |
| 2007 | ||
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| Natal | Faasel | Harmony Brig |
| 2006 | ||
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| Monet's Garden | Le Volfoni | Kasthari |
| 2005 | ||
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| Locksmith | My Will | Fool on the Hill |
| 2004 | ||
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| Keltic Bard | Thisthatandtother | Better Days |
| 2003 | ||
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| Vol Solitaire | Tarxien | Farmer Jack |
| 2002 | ||
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| Valley Henry | Man on the Hill | Big-And-Bold |
| 2001 | ||
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| Grey Abbey | Hugo De Grez | Running Moss |
| 2000-1994 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ||
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| Gingembre | Spirit Dancer | Bosuns Mate |
| 1999 | ||
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| Bouchasson | Scotia Nostra | Irbee |
| 1998 | ||
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| Eirespray | Edelweis Du Moulin | Ingletonian |
| 1997 | ||
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| Sparky Gayle | Macgeorge | Stately Home |
| 1996 | ||
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| Addington Boy | Challenger Du Luc | Oscail An Doras |
| 1995 | ||
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| Dancing Paddy | Morceli | Wee River |
| 1994 | ||
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| See More Indians | Gallateen | Rouyan |
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.
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 since 1971
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Chorus | 10 | Stan Mellor | Harry Thomson Jones |
| 1972 | Avondhu | 9 | P 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 | S Youlden | Harry Wharton |
| 1987 | General Chandos | 6 | Johnny Bradburne[lower-alpha 1] | 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[lower-alpha 1] | 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 [lower-alpha 2] | 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[lower-alpha 1] | 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 [lower-alpha 3] |
- amateur jockey
- Yes Sir finished first in 2007, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance
- The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[1]
Earlier winners
- 1968 – Certainement
- 1969 – Chesapeake Bay
- 1970 – Mischievous Monk
gollark: The Friendly Interactive Shell™.
gollark: NOW they are going down.
gollark: This apogee thing is wrong.
gollark: Or not.
gollark: Now they're going down.
References
- "Coronavirus: Horse racing in Great Britain suspended until end of April". BBC Sport. 17 March 2020.
- Racing Post:
- pedigreequery.com – Future Champion Novices' Chase – Ayr.
- Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992–93. Portway Press. 1993. p. 172.
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