National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup

The National Hunt Challenge Cup is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain for amateur riders which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles 6 furlongs (3 miles 5 furlongs and 201 yards, or 6,018 metres), and during its running there are twenty-three fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.

National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup
Grade 2 race
LocationCheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham, England
Inaugurated1860
Race typeSteeplechase
WebsiteCheltenham
Race information
Distance3m 5f 201y
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFive-years-old and up
Weight11 st 4 lb (158 lb; 72 kg) (5yo);
11 st 6 lb (160 lb; 73 kg) (6yo+)
Allowances
7 lb (3.2 kg) for mares
Purse£125,000 (2020)
1st: £74,306
National Hunt Chase
2020
Ravenhill Lord Du Mesnil Lamanver Pippin

History

Now in its 160th year, the National Hunt Chase has been run more times than any other event at the Cheltenham Festival. The Grand Annual is older, but that race was absent for much of the late 19th century.

During the early part of its history it was held at various venues, including its present home in 1904 and 1905. It was transferred more permanently to Cheltenham in 1911, when it became part of the new two-day National Hunt Meeting. Until the 1930s it was the second most important jumps race in the calendar after the Grand National.

At 3 miles and 7½ furlongs prior to 2020, the distance of the National Hunt Chase was longer than that of any other event at the Festival. It is now the second-longest after the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase. The race was contested on Cheltenham's New Course from 2005 to 2007, and during this period its length was 4 miles and 1 furlong (6.6 km). The 2008 running was titled the Peter O'Sullevan National Hunt Chase in celebration of the 90th birthday of Peter O'Sullevan, a retired racing commentator and the 2012 running was titled the Diamond Jubilee National Hunt Chase to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The 2013 race was run as the John Oaksey National Hunt Chase in memory of John Oaksey, a notable amateur National Hunt jockey and racing journalist who died in September 2012. The National Hunt Chase was given Listed status by the British Horseracing Board from its 2014 running[1] and included the name of former champion jockey Terry Biddlecombe, who died in January 2014, in its title. The 2015 race name commemorated trainer Toby Balding. The race was upgraded to Grade 2 status from the 2017 running.[2]

The race distance was reduced to about 3 miles and 6 furlongs from the 2020 running after a controversy in 2019. Only four of 18 runners finished the 2019 race. Three jockeys were banned by the racecourse stewards for continuing to ride on tired horses, although the bans were subsequently overturned on appeal.[3] The British Horseracing Authority conducted a review of the race which led to a cut in its distance and the number of fences jumped, along with some other changes relating to the eligibility of horses and jockeys to take part.[4]

Records

Leading jockey since 1946 (3 wins):

  • Jamie Codd - Cause of Causes (2015), Le Breuil (2019), Ravenhill (2020)

Leading trainer since 1946 (6 wins):

  • Jonjo O'Neill – Front Line (1995), Rith Dubh (2002), Sudden Shock (2003), Native Emperor (2004), Butler's Cabin (2007), Minella Rocco (2016)

Winners since 1860
  • All amateur jockeys.
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Course
1860 Bridegroom 8 Edmund Burton Market Harborough
1861 The Freshman 7 George Ede Cheltenham
1861 Queensferry 5 Edmund Burton Market Harborough
1862 Fidget aged G. Skipworth Rugby
1863 Socks 7 Alec Goodman Ben Land Market Harborough
1864 Game Chicken 6 Capt. Arthur Smith Burton Lazars
1865 Emperor II 7 Alec Goodman Wetherby
1866 Shangarry 5 Alec Goodman Crewkerne
1867 Emperor III 6 Henry Coventry Bedford
1868 Tathwell 6 William Brockton Bedford
1869 no race 1869[lower-alpha 1]
1870 Schiedam 5 John Maunsell Richardson Cottenham
1871 Daybreak 5 Capt. Arthur Smith Burton Lazars
1872 Red Nob 6 Capt. Holyoake Abergavenny
1873 Pickles 6 Capt. Arthur Tempest Bristol
1874 Lucellum 5 Capt. Arthur Smith Aylesbury
1875 Gazelle 4 Mr. Flutter Sandown Park
1876 Burford 5 Lord Marcus Beresford J. Jones Bogside
1877 The Bear 4 Ted Wilson Richard Marsh Cottenham
1878 Filbert 9 C.R. Friend Hereford
1879 Bellringer 7 Arthur Coventry Derby
1880 New Glasgow 7 Capt. Arthur Smith Mr. Wadlow Liverpool
1881 Pride of Prussia 4 Ted Wilson Garrett Moore Four Oaks Park
1882 Llantarnam 4 Ted Wilson William Jenkins Derby
1883 Satellite 4 Ted Wilson William Jenkins Little Dalby
1884 Equity 4 Ted Wilson Leicester
1885 Lady Tempest 5 Willie Beasley Garrett Moore Lincoln
1886 Why Not 5 Charles Cunningham Malton
1887 Monkshood 6 Roddy Owen Derby
1888 Glen Thorpe 4 George Lambton Mr. Jordan Sandown Park
1889 Nap 4 Charles Thompson Cardiff
1890 Innisfail 5 T.G. Arthur James Ryan Bogside
1891 Impeyan 4 E. Crawley J. Swatton Hurst Park
1892 Royal Buck 5 Lord Royston Tom Cannon Derby
1893 Van der Berg 7 Sir Cuthbert Slade E.A. Craddock Sandown Park
1894 Philactery 6 Wilfred Ricardo Joe Cannon Derby
1895 Fin-ma-Coul II 6 Frank Atkinson J. Arnold Sandown Park
1896 Ludgershall 5 Harry Ripley John Collins Hurst Park
1897 Nord Ouest 4 Jules Morand Dick Chaloner Newmarket
1898 Real Shamrock 4 E.P. Gundry A. McKie Gatwick
1899 Glen Royal 5 John Fergusson John Collins Hurst Park
1900 Eoos 5 Arthur Gordon Mr. Shanahan Kempton Park
1901 Friar John 5 Herbert Sidney Mr. Sentence Burton Lazars
1902 Marpessa 5 Atty Persse James Maher Warwick
1903 Comfit 5 Capt. Robert Collis E. Thomas Warwick
1904 Timothy Titus 6 Ivor Anthony E. Morgan Cheltenham
1905 Miss Clifden II 8 H.M. Ripley Mr. Baker Cheltenham
1906 Count Rufus 7 Arthur Gordon R. Gordon Warwick
1907 Red Hall 10 H.G. Farrant H.G. Farrant Warwick
1908 Rory O'Moore 7 Percy Whitaker Percy Whitaker Warwick
1909 Wychwood 11 Peter Roberts Percy Whitaker Warwick
1910 Nimble Kate 9 Peter Roberts Percy Whitaker Warwick
1911 Sir Halbert 8 Arthur Smith Tom Coulthwaite Cheltenham
1912 The Rejected IV aged Gilbert Cotton J.J. Cowap
1913 Kransfugl 11 R.H. Hall G. Pirie
1914 War Duke aged Harry Ussher Harry Ussher
1915 Martial IV 7 Major J.H. Purvis Major J.H. Purvis
1915 no race 1915–1919[lower-alpha 2]
1920 Prudhomme 6 Cecil Brabazon James Daly
1921 Bugler 7 Capt. Geoffrey Bennet Harry Brown
1922 Conjuror II 10 Cyril Dewhurst Tom Coulthwaite
1923 Templescoby 8 Harry Brown Tom Coulthwaite
1924 Patsey V 11 Brian Lemon Robert Gore
1925 Ardvasar 12 Pat Dennis Aubrey Hastings
1926 Cloringo 5 William Parker Dutton Max Barthropp
1927 Fine Yarn 7 J. Stevens C. Stevens
1928 Cryptical 13 Major T.F. Cavenagh F.H. Bowcher
1929 Big Wonder 9 Capt. Henry Weber G.S.L. Whitelaw
1930 Sir Lindsay 9 Lord Fingall Jack Anthony
1931 Merriment IV 9 Lord Haddington Stewart Wight
1932 Robin-a-Tiptoe 11 Frank Furlong Mr. Gale
1933 Ego 6 Perry Harding Lt.-Col. M. Lindsay
1934 Crown Prince 9 Lord Belper Cliff Beechener
1935 Rod and Gun 8 Mervyn Jones Jack Anthony
1936 Pucka Belle 10 E.W.W. Bailey E.W.W. Bailey
1937 Hopeful Hero 9 W.L. Dawes H.A.J. Silley
1938 St George II 9 Bobby Petre A.J.G. Leveson-Gower
1939 Litigant 8 Richard Black Frank Furlong
1940 no race 1940–1945[lower-alpha 3]
1946 Prattler 11 Dermot Daly Tom Yates
1947 Maltese Wanderer 8 Dermot Daly Tom Yates
1948 Bruno II 8 Guy Cunard William Anstruther-Gray
1949 Castledermot 7 Lord Mildmay Vincent O'Brien
1950 Ellesmere 7 Atty Corbett Ken Cundell
1951 Cushendun 6 Peter Chisman Bobby Renton
1952 Frosty Knight 6 Charles Straker Ian Straker
1953 Pontage 7 Bunny Cox Dan Moore
1954 Quare Times 8 Bunny Cox Vincent O'Brien
1955 Reverend Prince 9 C. Pocock Peter Dufosee
1956 Rosana III 9 Jeremy Everitt Jeremy Everitt
1957 Kari Sou 8 Alan Lillingston Archie Thomlinson
1958 Spud Tamson 7 Geordie Dun Tommy Dun
1959 Sabaria 8 John Lawrence Bob Turnell
1960 Proud Socks 8 H. Thompson Vivian Bishop
1961 Superfine 8 Sir William Pigott-Brown Frank Cundell
1962 Go Slow 7 George Small Albert Piper
1963 Time 8 Ian Balding Willie Stephenson
1964 Dorimont 10 Charles Vaughan Tom Taaffe
1965 Red Vale 11 George Small Albert Piper
1966 Polaris Missile 7 John Thorne John Thorne
1967 Master Tammy 9 Brian Fanshawe George Guilding
1968 Fascinating Forties 9 Michael Dickinson George Owen
1969 Lizzy the Lizard 10 Grant Cann Tony Hartnoll
1970 Domason 7 Robert Alner Harry Dufosee
1971 Deblin's Green 8 Derek Edmunds George Yardley
1972 Charley Winking 7 Derrick Scott Leslie Scott
1973 Foreman 7 Bill Shand Kydd Harry Thomson Jones
1974 Mr Midland 7 Mouse Morris Edward O'Grady
1975 no race 1975 [lower-alpha 4]
1976 Sage Merlin 8 Peter Greenall Jack Hardy
1977 Alpenstock 10 Dick Saunders Stan Mellor
1978 Gay Tie 5 John Fowler Mick O'Toole
1979 Arctic Ale 8 John Fowler Dan Moore
1980 Waggoners Walk 11 Tony Fowler Caroline Mason
1981 Lucky Vane 6 Stephen Bush Toby Balding
1982 Hazy Dawn 7 Willie Mullins Paddy Mullins
1983 Bit of a Skite 7 Frank Codd Edward O'Grady
1984 Macks Friendly 7 Willie Mullins Paddy Mullins
1985 Northern Bay 9 Tony Fowler Tom Bill
1986 Omerta 6 Lorcan Wyer Homer Scott
1987 Mighty Mark 8 Jimmy Walton Frank Walton
1988 Over the Road 7 Tom Costello Terry Casey
1989 Boraceva 6 Seamus Mullins Toby Balding
1990 Topsham Bay 7 Paul Hacking David Barons
1991 Smooth Escort 7 Tony Martin Di Haine
1992 Keep Talking 7 Marcus Armytage Tim Thomson Jones
1993 Ushers Island 7 Noel Wilson Howard Johnson
1994 Christmas Gorse 8 Marcus Armytage Nick Gaselee
1995 Front Line 8 John Berry Jonjo O'Neill
1996 Loving Around 8 Philip Fenton Edward O'Grady
1997 Flimsy Truth 11 Micky Harris Martin Weston
1998 Wandering Light 9 Rupert Wakley Tim Forster
1999 Deejaydee 7 Tony Martin Michael Hourigan
2000 Relaxation 8 Mark Bradburne Henry Daly
2001 no race 2001 [lower-alpha 5]
2002 Rith Dubh 10 JT McNamara Jonjo O'Neill
2003 Sudden Shock 8 Denis Cullen Jonjo O'Neill
2004 Native Emperor 8 Robert Widger Jonjo O'Neill
2005 Another Rum 7 Mark O'Hare Ian Duncan
2006 Hot Weld 7 Richard Harding Ferdy Murphy
2007 Butler's Cabin 7 Alan Berry Jonjo O'Neill
2008 Old Benny 7 Charlie Huxley Alan King
2009 Tricky Trickster 6 Sam Waley-Cohen Nigel Twiston-Davies
2010 Poker de Sivola 7 Katie Walsh Ferdy Murphy
2011 Chicago Grey 8 Derek O'Connor Gordon Elliott
2012 Teaforthree 8 JT McNamara Rebecca Curtis
2013 Back in Focus 8 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins
2014 Midnight Prayer 9 Joshua Newman Alan King
2015 Cause of Causes 7 Jamie Codd Gordon Elliott
2016 Minella Rocco 6 Derek O'Connor Jonjo O'Neill
2017 Tiger Roll 7 Lisa O'Neill Gordon Elliott
2018 Rathvinden 10 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins
2019 Le Breuil 7 Jamie Codd Ben Pauling
2020 Ravenhill 10 Jamie Codd Gordon Elliott
  1. The 1869 race at Wetherby was cancelled due to a ferry tragedy on the River Ure in February
  2. The race was not held between 1915 and 1919 as Cheltenham was occupied by the military authorities
  3. The race was not held between 1940 and 1945 due to the Second World War
  4. The 1975 edition was cancelled as the course was waterlogged
  5. The 2001 running was cancelled because of a foot-and-mouth crisis
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See also

References
  1. "British Horseracing Authority Announces Upgrades to Jump Pattern Races for 2013/14". Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  2. "BHA's Jump Pattern Committee announces race upgrades for 2016/17 season". British Horseracing. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  3. Keogh, Frank (21 March 2019). "Declan Lavery: Amateur jockey's 10-day ban from Cheltenham Festival overturned". BBC Sport.
  4. Keogh, Frank (12 August 2019). "Cheltenham Festival: Fences & distance cut in National Hunt Chase after riding row". BBC Sport.
  • cheltenham.co.uk – Media information pack (2010).
  • pedigreequery.com – National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup – Cheltenham.
  • Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 61. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.
  • History of the National Hunt Chase 1860–2010. Peter Stevens. 2010. ISBN 978-0-9567250-0-4.
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