Future Champion Novices' Chase
Encyclopedia
The Future Champion Novices' Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt
chase 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 and 4 furlongs (4,023 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.
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 its present distance 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.
Leading jockey
since 1968 (3 wins):
----
Leading trainer
since 1968 (5 wins):
Yes Sir finished first in 2007, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance.
National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
chase in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
which is open to horses
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
aged five years or older. It is run at Ayr
Ayr Racecourse
Ayr Racecourse at Whitletts Road, Ayr, Scotland, was opened on 1907. The track is a left-handed, oval track, thirteen furlongs in circumference, with a straight run-in of half a mile. There are courses for flat and for National Hunt racing...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 metres), and during its running there are seventeen fences to be jumped. The race is for novice
Novice (racehorse)
A novice in National Hunt horse racing is a horse which has not won in a particular type of race prior to the start of the current season. A novice hurdler has not won a hurdle race before the start of the current season, while a novice chaser has not won a steeplechase before the start of the...
chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.
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 its present distance 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
Scottish Grand National
The Scottish Grand National is a Grade 3 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 approximately 4 miles and 110 yards and 27 fences...
. The winners Gingembre and Grey Abbey both subsequently achieved victory in the latter race.
Records
Leading jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
since 1968 (3 wins):
- Ron Barry – The Benign Bishop (1973), Easby Abbey (1975), Little Bay (1981)
- Jonjo O'NeillJonjo O'NeillJonjo O'Neill is an Irish National Hunt racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is a native of Castletownroche, County Cork in Ireland. Based at the Jackdaws Castle training establishment in England, O'Neill is the private trainer to J. P. McManus, one of the largest owners of steeplechasers and...
– Crofton Hall (1977), King Weasel (1978), Night Nurse (1979)
----
Leading trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
since 1968 (5 wins):
- Gordon W. RichardsGordon W. RichardsThis article is about the racehorse trainer. For the jockey, see Gordon Richards----Gordon W. Richards was a British racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing...
– Cromwell Road (1976), Little Bay (1981), Noddy's Ryde (1984), Jim Thorpe (1988), Addington Boy (1996)
Winners since 1988
- Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1988 Jim Thorpe 7 Mark Dwyer Gordon W. Richards Gordon W. RichardsThis article is about the racehorse trainer. For the jockey, see Gordon Richards----Gordon W. Richards was a British racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing...1989 Southern Minstrel 6 Chris Grant Arthur Stephenson 1990 Celtic Shot 8 Graham McCourt Charlie Brooks 1991 High Knowl 8 Graham McCourt Martin Pipe Martin PipeMartin Pipe was a racehorse trainer until his retirement in April 2006.The son of a West-Country bookmaker, Pipe was an amateur jockey before turning his attention to training in 1974 at Nicholashayne, Devon, near Wellington, England....1992 The Illywhacker 7 Mark Pitman Jenny Pitman Jenny PitmanJenny Pitman is a former British racehorse trainer and author. She became the first woman to train a Grand National winner, when Corbiere won the race in 1983. She went on to win a second Grand National with Royal Athlete in 1995...1993 Cab on Target 7 Peter Niven Mary Reveley 1994 See More Indians 7 Richard Dunwoody Richard DunwoodyThomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider...Paul Nicholls Paul Nicholls (horse racing)Paul Nicholls is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007-2008 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money...1995 Dancing Paddy 7 Richard Dunwoody Richard DunwoodyThomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider...Ken Cunningham-Brown 1996 Addington Boy 8 Tony Dobbin Tony DobbinTony Dobbin is a retired Northern Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He rode the winner of the Grand National on Lord Gyllene in 1997 and won over 1,200 races during his career in the saddle. He was the regular stable jockey for Nicky Richards...Gordon W. Richards Gordon W. RichardsThis article is about the racehorse trainer. For the jockey, see Gordon Richards----Gordon W. Richards was a British racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing...1997 Sparky Gayle 7 Brian Storey Colin Parker 1998 Eirespray 7 Richard Guest Sue Smith 1999 Bouchasson 6 Mr Robert Widger Philip Hobbs Philip HobbsPhilip Hobbs is a British racehorse trainer specializing mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables near Minehead, Somerset....2000 Gingembre 6 Warren Marston Lavinia Taylor 2001 Grey Abbey 7 Brian Harding Barry Murtagh 2002 Valley Henry 7 Barry Geraghty Barry GeraghtyBarry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...Paul Nicholls Paul Nicholls (horse racing)Paul Nicholls is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007-2008 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money...2003 Vol Solitaire 5 Ruby Walsh Ruby WalshRuby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:...Paul Nicholls Paul Nicholls (horse racing)Paul Nicholls is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007-2008 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money...2004 Keltic Bard 7 Noel Fehily Charlie Mann 2005 Locksmith 5 Timmy Murphy Timmy MurphyTimothy James Murphy , commonly known as Timmy Murphy, is a National Hunt jockey who overcame difficult personal problems to win the 2008 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on the horse Comply or Die. He recorded his 1,000th winner at Taunton on 21 January 2010.- References :...Martin Pipe Martin PipeMartin Pipe was a racehorse trainer until his retirement in April 2006.The son of a West-Country bookmaker, Pipe was an amateur jockey before turning his attention to training in 1974 at Nicholashayne, Devon, near Wellington, England....2006 Monet's Garden Monet's GardenMonet's Garden is a retired racehorse. Born in April 1998, he was a winner in 17 of his 32 starts, being placed second four times and third on two other occasions, earning £683,265 total prize money...8 Tony Dobbin Tony DobbinTony Dobbin is a retired Northern Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He rode the winner of the Grand National on Lord Gyllene in 1997 and won over 1,200 races during his career in the saddle. He was the regular stable jockey for Nicky Richards...Nicky Richards Nicky RichardsNicholas Gordon Richards is a British racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables at Greystoke, near Penrith, Cumbria, England...2007 Natal 6 Ruby Walsh Ruby WalshRuby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:...Paul Nicholls Paul Nicholls (horse racing)Paul Nicholls is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007-2008 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money...2008 Starzaan 9 Robert Thornton Robert Thornton (jockey)Robert "Choc" Thornton is an English National Hunt jockey currently employed as stable jockey to Alan King....Hughie Morrison 2009 Deep Purple 8 Paul Moloney Evan Williams 2010 French Opera 7 Barry Geraghty Barry GeraghtyBarry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...Nicky Henderson Nicky HendersonNicky Henderson is a British racehorse trainer. He has been British jump racing Champion Trainer twice.Henderson, educated at Eton College, has been a trainer since 1978, based at Seven Barrows near Lambourn, Berkshire...2011 Gilbarry 6 Graham Lee Graham Lee (jockey)Graham Lee is a successful Irish National Hunt jockey in Great Britain and Ireland. Prior to May 2006, he was the main stable jockey for Howard Johnson, but was replaced by Paddy Brennan, allegedly after a disagreement over his return from an injury. Lee became the main stable jockey and deputy...Malcolm Jefferson
Yes Sir finished first in 2007, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance.