Winter Novices' Hurdle

Winter Novices' Hurdle
2014
Vyta Du Roc Shantou Bob Tara Point

The Winter Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race 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 and 4½ furlongs (4,124 metres), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in early December.

Between 1992 and 1999 the distance of the race was 2 miles and 6 furlongs, and prior to 1992 it was run over 2 miles 5 furlongs and 75 yards. The only winner to subsequently win the championship event in this division is Barton, who won the 1999 Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle. Since 2011 the race has been sponsored by Neptune Investment Management and run under the title of the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle.

Winners since 1987

Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
1987 Slalom 6 John White Michael Robinson
1988 Man on the Line 5 Peter Scudamore Reg Akehurst
no race 1989 [1]
1990 Tyrone Bridge 4 Richard Dunwoody Martin Pipe
1991 Arabian Sultan 4 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe
1992 Glen Lochan 7 Jamie Osborne Henrietta Knight
1993 Top Spin 4 Adrian Maguire John Jenkins
1994 Roberty Lea 6 Peter Niven Mary Reveley
1995 See More Business 5 Tony McCoy Paul Nicholls
1996 Yahmi 6 Jamie Osborne Jim Old
1997 Song of the Sword 4 Graham Bradley Jim Old
1998 Barton 5 Lorcan Wyer Tim Easterby
1999 What's Up Boys 5 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
no race 2000
2001 Rouble 5 Leighton Aspell Josh Gifford
2002 Coolnagorna 5 Tony Dobbin Jonjo O'Neill
2003 Inglis Drever 4 Graham Lee Howard Johnson
2004 Ladalko 5 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2005 Neptune Collonges 4 Barry Geraghty Paul Nicholls
2006 Labelthou 7 Barry Fenton Emma Lavelle
2007 Lightning Strike 4 Tony McCoy Venetia Williams
2008 Junior 5 Robert Thornton Alan King
2009 Manyriverstocross 4 Wayne Hutchinson Alan King
no race 2010 [2]
2011 Fingal Bay 5 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
2012 Taquin de Seuil 5 Tony McCoy Jonjo O'Neill
2013 Killala Quay 6 Richard Johnson Charlie Longsdon
2014 Vyta Du Roc 5 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson

1 The 1989 race was abandoned due to frost. 2 The 2010 race was abandoned due to snow.

See also

References