The Future Champions Novice Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt race in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. It is run at Leopardstown Racecourse

Leopardstown Racecourse

Leopardstown Racecourse is an Irish horse-racing venue. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing. Located in Leopardstown, County Dublin, 8km south of the Dublin city centre. The course was built by Captain George Quin and modeled on Sandown Park Racecourse...

 at the end of December during the Christmas Festival, over a distance of 2 miles.
The race was originally run over 2 miles and 2 furlongs, before being run over the present distance from 1997 onwards. It was awarded Grade 1 status in 2004 and is seen as a key race prior to the Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...

 in March. The race is currently sponsored by the Paddy Power

Paddy Power

Paddy Power is Ireland’s largest bookmaker. Offline it conducts business through a chain of licensed betting offices and by operating Ireland's largest telephone betting service. Online it offers sports betting, online poker, online bingo, online casino games and spread betting...

 bookmaking company.

Records

• Most successful jockey - Conor O'Dwyer (1999, 2004, 2007) 3 wins
• Most successful trainer - Christy Roche
  Christy Roche
  Christy Roche is a retired champion Irish flat racing jockey.Over his thirty year career between 1968 and 1998 he won the Budweiser Irish Derby 3 times which he won in 1982, 1992 and 1997. His 1997 victory was on Desert King.-External links:*...
  
   (1996, 2000, 2006), Edward O'Grady (2000, 2001) 2 wins each

Recent Winners

• Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".

  Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer
  1996	Istabraq Istabraq Istabraq is a retired Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who was most famous for his hurdling. He had an exceptional pedigree, being the produce of Sadler's Wells, a son of Northern Dancer, and a Secretariat mare making him a three-quarter brother to Epsom Derby winner Secreto. He won the Champion...	Charlie Swan	Aidan O'Brien Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Cashel in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates....
  1997	His Song	Richard Hughes Richard Hughes (jockey) Richard Hughes is an Irish flat jockey who most commonly rides in Great Britain. Born in Dublin, he is the son of successful National Hunt trainer, Dessie Hughes. His main provider of rides has been trainer Richard Hannon who is also his father in law andfrom 2001 to 2007 he was also retained by...	Mouse Morris Mouse Morris Michael 'Mouse' Morris is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey.As a jockey he rode Skymas to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1976 and 1977 and Billycan to win the 1977 Irish Grand National, while his most notable successes as a trainer have come with Buck House in the 1983 Supreme...
  1998	Joe Mac	Charlie Swan	Christy Roche Christy Roche Christy Roche is a retired champion Irish flat racing jockey.Over his thirty year career between 1968 and 1998 he won the Budweiser Irish Derby 3 times which he won in 1982, 1992 and 1997. His 1997 victory was on Desert King.-External links:*...
  1999	Youlneverwalkalone	Conor O'Dwyer	Christy Roche Christy Roche Christy Roche is a retired champion Irish flat racing jockey.Over his thirty year career between 1968 and 1998 he won the Budweiser Irish Derby 3 times which he won in 1982, 1992 and 1997. His 1997 victory was on Desert King.-External links:*...
  2000	Ned Kelly	Norman Williamson Norman Williamson Norman Williamson is a professional jockey in the Irish National Hunt.- References :...	Edward O'Grady
  2001	Sacundai	Adrain Maguire	Edward O'Grady
  2002	Solerina	Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh Ruby 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:...	James Bowe
  2003	Mariah Rollins	David Casey	Pat Fahy
  2004	Royal Paradise	Conor O'Dwyer	Thomas Foley
  2005	Mr Nosie	Paul Carberry Paul Carberry Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers...	Noel Meade Noel Meade Noel Meade is a famous horse trainer from Ireland. He established Tu Va Stables in Co. Meath, Ireland as a place to train his horses.Meade began his career as a horse trainer in 1971, but it was not until 1978 that Meade started to become well recognized. Sweet Mint, winner of the Cork and Orrery...
  2006	De Valira	Andrew Lynch	Michael O'Brien
  2007	Whatuhink	Conor O'Dwyer	Oliver McKiernan
  2008	Hurricane Fly Hurricane Fly Hurricane Fly is a thoroughbred racehorse. The horse is owned by George Creighton & Mrs Rose Boyd and trained by Willie Mullins. On 15 March 2011, Hurricane Fly ridden by Ruby Walsh won the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham....	Paul Townend	Willie Mullins Willie Mullins Willie Mullins is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is based at Closutton, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, Ireland...
  2009	Hollo Ladies	Davy Condon Davy Condon Davy Condon is an Irish National hunt racing jockey in Great Britain and Ireland. Condon’s father, Michael Condon, was an amateur jockey. His father rode for Jimmy Murphy and Charles Byrnes, but a fall that left him in a coma cut his career short with just one win to his credit...	Noel Meade Noel Meade Noel Meade is a famous horse trainer from Ireland. He established Tu Va Stables in Co. Meath, Ireland as a place to train his horses.Meade began his career as a horse trainer in 1971, but it was not until 1978 that Meade started to become well recognized. Sweet Mint, winner of the Cork and Orrery...
  2010	First Lieutenant	Davy Russell Davy Russell Davy Russell is an Irish jockey who competes in National Hunt racing. Russell's first win as a professional jockey was for English-based Irish trainer Ferdy Murphy on Inn Antique in a novice hurdle at Sedgefield, 12 November 2002...	Mouse Morris Mouse Morris Michael 'Mouse' Morris is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey.As a jockey he rode Skymas to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1976 and 1977 and Billycan to win the 1977 Irish Grand National, while his most notable successes as a trainer have come with Buck House in the 1983 Supreme...