Henry VIII Novices' Chase
The Henry VIII Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mile 7 furlongs and 119 yards, or 3,126 metres), and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in early December.
| Grade 1 race | |
| Location | Sandown Park Racecourse Esher, England |
|---|---|
| Race type | Steeplechase |
| Sponsor | Racing TV |
| Website | Sandown Park |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 mile 7 furlongs 119 yards (3,126 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Four-years-old and up |
| Weight | 10 st 10 lb (4yo) 11 st 2 lb (5yo+) Allowances 7 lb for fillies and mares |
| Purse | £55,000 (2019) 1st: £30,949 |
| 2019 | ||
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| Esprit Du Large | Nube Negra | Grand Sancy |
| Previous years | ||
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| 2018 | ||
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| Dynamite Dollars | Ornua | Lalor |
| 2017 | ||
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| Sceau Royal | North Hill Harvey | Finian's Oscar |
| 2016 | ||
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| Altior | Charbel | Max Ward |
| 2015 | ||
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| Ar Mad | Bristol De Mai | As De Mee |
| 2014 | ||
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| Vibrato Valtat | Dunraven Storm | Irish Saint |
| 2013 | ||
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| Hinterland | Grandouet | Taquin Du Seuil |
| 2012 | ||
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| Captain Conan | Hinterland | Third Intention |
| 2011 | ||
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| Al Ferof | For Non Stop | Lancetto |
| 2010-2001 | ||
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| 2009 | ||
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| Somersby | Crack Away Jack | Tchico Polos |
| 2008 | ||
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| Araldur | Free World | Astarador |
| 2007 | ||
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| Marodima | Mahogany Blaze | Pancake |
| 2006 | ||
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| Fair Along | My Way de Solzen | New Little Bric |
| 2005 | ||
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| Racing Demon | Hoo La Baloo | Cerium |
| 2004 | ||
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| Contraband | The Last Cast | Made in Japan |
| 2003 | ||
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| Thisthatandtother | Atum Re | Chauvinist |
| 2002 | ||
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| Impek | Le Roi Miguel | Tysou |
| 2001 | ||
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| Fondmort | Returning | Krabloonik |
| 2000-1991 | ||
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| 2000 | ||
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| Crocadee | Corniche | Sandy Duff |
| 1999 | ||
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| Decoupage | Wakeel | Gloria Victis |
| 1998 | ||
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| Dines | Dawn Leader | Billingsgate |
| 1997 | ||
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| Direct Route | Crack On | Queen of Spades |
| 1996 | ||
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| Mulligan | Land Afar | Down The Fell |
| 1995 | ||
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| Certainly Strong | Captain Khedive | Simple Arithmetic |
| 1994 | ||
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| Sound Reveille | King Credo | Spuffington |
| 1993 | ||
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| Baydon Star | One More Dream | Strong Views |
| 1992 | ||
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| Wonder Man | Peace Officer | Only two finished |
| 1991 | ||
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| Peanuts Pet | Deadly Charm | Hickelton Lad |
| 1990-1987 | ||
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| 1990 | ||
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| Acre Hill | L B Laughs | General James |
| 1989 | ||
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| Deep Flash | Wink Gulliver | Fuego Boy |
| 1988 | ||
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| The Dragon Master | Southernair | I'm Bad |
| 1987 | ||
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| Ballyhane | Sassanoco | Amrullah |
The event is named after Henry VIII, who commandeered Esher (the location of Sandown Park) as a royal hunting ground in the sixteenth century. In its analysis of the 2007 running, the Racing Post described the Henry VIII Novices' Chase as: "A race that has a very high standing in the calendar thanks to the exploits of past winners and subsequent Grade 1 stars like Direct Route, Decoupage, Fondmort, Impek, Thisthatandtother, Contraband and Racing Demon." It was raised to Grade 1 status in 2011 having previously been contested at Grade 2 level.
Winners since 1988
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Ballyhane | 6 | Richard Rowe | Josh Gifford |
| 1988 | The Dragon Master | 6 | George Mernagh | Robert Waley-Cohen |
| 1989 | Deep Flash | 6 | Tom Morgan | John Edwards |
| 1990 | Acre Hill | 6 | Richard Dunwoody | Nicky Henderson |
| 1991 | Peanuts Pet | 6 | Trevor Wall | Bryan McMahon |
| 1992 | Wonder Man | 7 | Richard Dunwoody | David Nicholson |
| 1993 | Baydon Star | 6 | Adrian Maguire | David Nicholson |
| 1994 | Sound Reveille | 6 | Graham Bradley | Charlie Brooks |
| 1995 | Certainly Strong | 5 | Richard Dunwoody | David Nicholson |
| 1996 | Mulligan | 6 | Adrian Maguire | David Nicholson |
| 1997 | Direct Route | 6 | Tony McCoy | Howard Johnson |
| 1998 | Dines | 6 | Tony McCoy | Paul Nicholls |
| 1999 | Decoupage | 7 | Norman Williamson | Charles Egerton |
| 2000 | Crocadee [lower-alpha 1] | 7 | Paul Flynn | Venetia Williams |
| 2001 | Fondmort | 5 | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson |
| 2002 | Impek | 6 | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight |
| 2003 | Thisthatandtother | 7 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2004 | Contraband | 6 | Timmy Murphy | Martin Pipe |
| 2005 | Racing Demon | 5 | Timmy Murphy | Henrietta Knight |
| 2006 | Fair Along | 4 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs |
| 2007 | Marodima | 4 | Sam Thomas | Paul Nicholls |
| 2008 | Araldur | 4 | Robert Thornton | Alan King |
| 2009 | Somersby | 5 | Tony McCoy | Henrietta Knight |
| no race 2010 [lower-alpha 2] | ||||
| 2011 | Al Ferof | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2012 | Captain Conan | 5 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2013 | Hinterland | 5 | Daryl Jacob | Paul Nicholls |
| 2014 | Vibrato Valtat | 5 | Noel Fehily | Paul Nicholls |
| 2015 | Ar Mad | 5 | Joshua Moore | Gary Moore |
| 2016 | Altior | 6 | Noel Fehily | Nicky Henderson |
| 2017 | Sceau Royal | 5 | Daryl Jacob | Alan King |
| 2018 | Dynamite Dollars | 5 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 2019 | Esprit Du Large | 5 | Adam Wedge | Evan Williams |
- The 2000 running took place at Haydock Park
- The 2010 running was abandoned due to snow