The Sharp Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt

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...

 hurdle race

Hurdling (horse race)

A Hurdle race in England is a National Hunt horse race where the horses jump over obstacles called hurdles that are over three and a half feet high. They are typically made of brush, that has some flexability. Hurdle races always have a minimum of eight hurdles and a minimum distance of two miles ....

 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 four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham

Cheltenham Racecourse

Cheltenham Racecourse is a racecourse for horse racing events, located at Prestbury Park, in the suburban village of Prestbury on the outskirts of the English town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire...

 over a distance of about 2 miles and 110 yards (3,319 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles 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...

 hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in November.

The event was formerly contested over 2 miles, and it used to be held in December. It was extended by a furlong in 1992, and it was cut to its present length and moved to November in 1994. It is currently run as the Opus Energy Novices' Hurdle.

Winners since 1987

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer
1987	Butt and Ben	4	R. Chapman	Fulke Walwyn Fulke Walwyn Fulke Thomas Tyndall Walwyn was a British jockey and racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing. He was born in Wrexham and died in Newbury.He was educated at Malvern College....
1988	Green Willow	6	Peter Hobbs	Josh Gifford Josh Gifford Josh Gifford is a former jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was a four-time Champion Jockey, riding 642 winners in his career....
1989	Run for Free	5	Peter Scudamore Peter Scudamore Peter Scudamore , known universally as 'Scu', is a former jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was an eight-time Champion Jockey , riding 1,678 winners in his career...	Martin Pipe Martin Pipe Martin 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....
1990	no race 1990
1991	Thetford Forest	4	Richard Dunwoody Richard Dunwoody Thomas 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...	David Nicholson David Nicholson (horse racing) David Nicholson was a British National Hunt jockey and trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Trainer in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons....
1992	Satin Lover	4	Graham McCourt	Nigel Tinkler
1993	Large Action	5	Jamie Osborne Jamie Osborne Jamie Osborne is a jockey and race horse trainer. Born 28 August 1967 he rode his first winner in March 1986 and in 1999 obtained his trainers licence. Once a favourite of the Queen Mother, he was acquitted of race fixing in 1998.-References:...	Oliver Sherwood
1994	Berude Not To	5	Jamie Osborne Jamie Osborne Jamie Osborne is a jockey and race horse trainer. Born 28 August 1967 he rode his first winner in March 1986 and in 1999 obtained his trainers licence. Once a favourite of the Queen Mother, he was acquitted of race fixing in 1998.-References:...	Oliver Sherwood
1995	Mandys Mantino	5	Philip Hide	Josh Gifford Josh Gifford Josh Gifford is a former jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was a four-time Champion Jockey, riding 642 winners in his career....
1996	Kailash	5	Tony McCoy Tony McCoy Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey....	Martin Pipe Martin Pipe Martin 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....
1997	Circus Star	4	Adrian Maguire Adrian Maguire Adrian Maguire, born 29 April 1971 in Kilmessan, County Meath, Ireland, is a racehorse trainer and former jockey.Maguire began his career in Irish pony racing at the age of nine, in which he rode more than 200 winners. In 1990 he rode his first winner under rules, at Sligo, before his first victory...	David Nicholson David Nicholson (horse racing) David Nicholson was a British National Hunt jockey and trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Trainer in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons....
1998	Hoh Invader	6	Richard Dunwoody Richard Dunwoody Thomas 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...	Charlie Mann
1999	Silence Reigns	5	Mick Fitzgerald Mick Fitzgerald Mick Fitzgerald is an Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He has ridden the winners of the Grand National, on Rough Quest in 1996, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on See More Business in 1999. He was the stable jockey for Nicky Henderson and was leading jockey at the...	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...
2000	Reiziger	4	Richard Johnson Richard Johnson (jockey) Richard Johnson is an English National Hunt jockey.-Background:Johnson comes from a racing family with his father being an amateur jockey and his mother, Sue Johnson, a successful trainer.-Jockey career:...	Philip Hobbs Philip Hobbs Philip Hobbs is a British racehorse trainer specializing mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables near Minehead, Somerset....
2001	Fireball Macnamara	5	Timmy Murphy Timmy Murphy Timothy 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 :...	Mark Pitman
2002	Mutakarrim	5	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...	Dermot Weld Dermot Weld Dermot K. Weld is one of Ireland's most successful racehorse trainers. He holds the record for the most winners trained in Ireland ....
2003	Self Defense	6	Barry Keniry	Emma Lavelle
2004	Marcel	4	Timmy Murphy Timmy Murphy Timothy 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 Pipe Martin 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....
2005	Boychuk	4	Richard Johnson Richard Johnson (jockey) Richard Johnson is an English National Hunt jockey.-Background:Johnson comes from a racing family with his father being an amateur jockey and his mother, Sue Johnson, a successful trainer.-Jockey career:...	Philip Hobbs Philip Hobbs Philip Hobbs is a British racehorse trainer specializing mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables near Minehead, Somerset....
2006	Moon Over Miami	5	Noel Fehily	Charlie Mann
2007	I'msingingtheblues	5	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:...	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	Golan Way	4	Jamie Goldstein	Sheena West
2009	Loosen My Load	5	Andrew Lynch	Henry de Bromhead
2010	Cue Card Cue card Cue cards, also known as note cards or idiot cards, are cards with words written on them that help actors and speakers remember what they have to say. They are typically used in television productions where they can be held off-camera and are unseen by the audience...	4	Joe Tizzard	Colin Tizzard
2011	Steps to Freedom	5	Robbie Power Robbie Power Robbie "Puppy" Power, son of Irish show-jumper Con Power, is the National Hunt jockey who rode 33-1 outsider Silver Birch to victory in the 2007 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday 14 April 2007 .-Footnotes:...	Jessica Harrington

The 1990 running was abandoned because of snow.