Henry VIII Novices' Chase

Henry VIII Novices' Chase
Grade 1 race
Location Sandown Park Racecourse
Esher, England
Race type Steeplechase
Sponsor Racing Post
Website Sandown Park
Race information
Distance 2 miles (3,219 metres)
Surface Turf
Track Right-handed
Qualification Four-years-old and up
Weight 10 st 10 lb (4yo)
11 st 2 lb (5yo+)
Allowances
7 lb for fillies and mares
Purse £40,000 (2014)
1st: £22,780
Henry VIII Novices' Chase
2014
Vibrato Valtat Dunraven Storm Irish Saint

The Henry VIII Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in early December.

The event is named after Henry VIII, who commandeered Esher (the location of Sandown Park) as a royal hunting ground in the sixteenth century. In its analysis of the 2007 running, the Racing Post described the Henry VIII Novices' Chase as: "A race that has a very high standing in the calendar thanks to the exploits of past winners and subsequent Grade 1 stars like Direct Route, Decoupage, Fondmort, Impek, Thisthatandtother, Contraband and Racing Demon." It was raised to Grade 1 status in 2011 having previously been contested at Grade 2 level.

Winners since 1988

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
1987 Ballyhane 6 Richard Rowe Josh Gifford
1988 The Dragon Master 6 George Mernagh Robert Waley-Cohen
1989 Deep Flash 6 Tom Morgan John Edwards
1990 Acre Hill 6 Richard Dunwoody Nicky Henderson
1991 Peanuts Pet 6 Trevor Wall Bryan McMahon
1992 Wonder Man 7 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson
1993 Baydon Star 6 Adrian Maguire David Nicholson
1994 Sound Reveille 6 Graham Bradley Charlie Brooks
1995 Certainly Strong 5 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson
1996 Mulligan 6 Adrian Maguire David Nicholson
1997 Direct Route 6 Tony McCoy Howard Johnson
1998 Dines 6 Tony McCoy Paul Nicholls
1999 Decoupage 7 Norman Williamson Charles Egerton
2000 Crocadee [1] 7 Paul Flynn Venetia Williams
2001 Fondmort 5 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
2002 Impek 6 Jim Culloty Henrietta Knight
2003 Thisthatandtother 7 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2004 Contraband 6 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe
2005 Racing Demon 5 Timmy Murphy Henrietta Knight
2006 Fair Along 4 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
2007 Marodima 4 Sam Thomas Paul Nicholls
2008 Araldur 4 Robert Thornton Alan King
2009 Somersby 5 Tony McCoy Henrietta Knight
no race 2010 [2]
2011 Al Ferof 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2012 Captain Conan 5 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2013 Hinterland 5 Daryl Jacob Paul Nicholls
2014 Vibrato Valtat 5 Noel Fehily Paul Nicholls

1 The 2000 running took place at Haydock Park. 2 The 2010 running was abandoned due to snow.

See also

References