Future Champion Novices' Chase
| Future Champion Novices' Chase | |
|---|---|
| Grade 2 race | |
| Location |
Ayr Racecourse Ayr, Scotland |
| Race type | Chase |
| Sponsor | Arcadia Consulting |
| Website | Ayr |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2m 4f (4,023 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
| Weight |
11 st 0 lb Allowances 7 lb for mares Penalties for wins 7 lb for Class 1 or 2 chase * 4 lb for Class 3 chase * * since April 27 last year |
| Purse |
£45,500 (2014) 1st: £26,748 |
| 2015 | ||
 | ||
| Top Gamble | Seventh Sky | Solar Impulse |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Eduard | Valdez | Aibrean |
| 2013 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Rajdhani Express | Tap Night | Desert Cry |
| 2012 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Pacha Du Polder | Rival D'estruval | Lidar |
| 2011 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Gilbarry | Sam Lord | Nadiya De La Vega |
| 2010-2001 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| French Opera | Tchico Polos | Fiendish Flame |
| 2009 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Deep Purple | I'msingingtheblues | Raysrock |
| 2008 | ||
 |
|
|
| Starzaan | Noland | Frankie Figg |
| 2007 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Natal | Faasel | Harmony Brig |
| 2006 | ||
 |
|
 |
| Monet's Garden | Le Volfoni | Kasthari |
| 2005 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Locksmith | My Will | Fool On The Hill |
| 2004 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Keltic Bard | Thisthatandtother | Better Days |
| 2003 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Vol Solitaire | Tarxien | Farmer Jack |
| 2002 | ||
 |
|
 |
| Valley Henry | Man On The Hill | Big-And-Bold |
| 2001 | ||
 |
|
 |
| Grey Abbey | Hugo De Grez | Running Moss |
| 2000-1994 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ||
 |
|
 |
| Gingembre | Spirit Dancer | Bosuns Mate |
| 1999 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Bouchasson | Scotia Nostra | Irbee |
| 1998 | ||
| |
 |
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| Eirespray | Edelweis Du Moulin | Ingletonian |
| 1997 | ||
| |
 |
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| Sparky Gayle | Macgeorge | Stately Home |
| 1996 | ||
 |
|
 |
| Addington Boy | Challenger Du Luc | Oscail An Doras |
| 1995 | ||
 |
 |
 |
| Dancing Paddy | Morceli | Wee River |
| 1994 | ||
| |
 |
 |
| See More Indians | Gallateen | Rouyan |
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.
Records
Leading jockey since 1968 (3 wins):
- Ron Barry – The Benign Bishop (1973), Easby Abbey (1975), Little Bay (1981)
- Jonjo O'Neill – Crofton Hall (1977), King Weasel (1978), Night Nurse (1979)
Leading trainer since 1968 (5 wins):
- Gordon W. Richards – Cromwell Road (1976), Little Bay (1981), Noddy's Ryde (1984), Jim Thorpe (1988), Addington Boy (1996)
Winners since 1971
- Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Chorus | 10 | S Mellor | H T Jones |
| 1972 | Avondhu | 9 | P Brogan | P Chesmore |
| 1973 | The Benign Bishop | 6 | R Barry | K Oliver |
| 1974 | Winter Rain | 6 | M Dickinson | A Dickinson |
| 1975 | Easby Abbey | 8 | R Barry | M H Easterby |
| 1976 | Cromwell Road | 6 | D Goulding | G Richards |
| 1977 | Crofton Hall | 8 | J O'Neill | J Dixon |
| 1978 | King Weasel | 6 | J O'Neill | M H Easterby |
| 1979 | Night Nurse | 8 | J O'Neill | M H Easterby |
| 1980 | Don't Forget | 6 | R Lamb | W A Stephenson |
| 1981 | Little Bay | 6 | R Barry | G Richards |
| 1982 | Full Sutton | 9 | B R Davies | D Kent |
| 1983 | Mountain Hays | 8 | A Brown | M H Easterby |
| 1984 | Noddy's Ryde | 7 | N Doughty | G Richards |
| 1985 | Buck House | 7 | T Carmody | M Morris (Ir) |
| 1986 | Amber Rambler | 7 | S Youlden | H Wharton |
| 1987 | General Chandos | 6 | Mr J Bradburne | J Bradburne |
| 1988 | Jim Thorpe | 7 | Mark Dwyer | Gordon W. Richards |
| 1989 | Southern Minstrel | 6 | Chris Grant | Arthur Stephenson |
| 1990 | Celtic Shot | 8 | Graham McCourt | Charlie Brooks |
| 1991 | High Knowl | 8 | Graham McCourt | Martin Pipe |
| 1992 | The Illywhacker | 7 | Mark Pitman | Jenny Pitman |
| 1993 | Cab on Target | 7 | Peter Niven | Mary Reveley |
| 1994 | See More Indians | 7 | Richard Dunwoody | Paul Nicholls |
| 1995 | Dancing Paddy | 7 | Richard Dunwoody | Ken Cunningham-Brown |
| 1996 | Addington Boy | 8 | Tony Dobbin | Gordon W. Richards |
| 1997 | Sparky Gayle | 7 | Brian Storey | Colin Parker |
| 1998 | Eirespray | 7 | Richard Guest | Sue Smith |
| 1999 | Bouchasson | 6 | Mr Robert Widger | Philip Hobbs |
| 2000 | Gingembre | 6 | Warren Marston | Lavinia Taylor |
| 2001 | Grey Abbey | 7 | Brian Harding | Barry Murtagh |
| 2002 | Valley Henry | 7 | Barry Geraghty | Paul Nicholls |
| 2003 | Vol Solitaire | 5 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2004 | Keltic Bard | 7 | Noel Fehily | Charlie Mann |
| 2005 | Locksmith | 5 | Timmy Murphy | Martin Pipe |
| 2006 | Monet's Garden | 8 | Tony Dobbin | Nicky Richards |
| 2007 | Natal [1] | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2008 | Starzaan | 9 | Robert Thornton | Hughie Morrison |
| 2009 | Deep Purple | 8 | Paul Moloney | Evan Williams |
| 2010 | French Opera | 7 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2011 | Gilbarry | 6 | Graham Lee | Malcolm Jefferson |
| 2012 | Pacha du Polder | 5 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2013 | Radhjani Express | 6 | Mr Sam Waley-Cohen | Nicky Henderson |
| 2014 | Eduard | 6 | Brian Harding | Nicky Richards |
| 2015 | Top Gamble | 7 | Richard Johnson | Richard Lee |
1 Yes Sir finished first in 2007, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance.
Earlier winners
- 1968 – Certainement
- 1969 – Chesapeake Bay
- 1970 – Mischievous Monk
See also
References
- Racing Post:
- pedigreequery.com – Future Champion Novices' Chase – Ayr.
- Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992-93. Portway Press. 1993. p. 172.