# Future Champion Novices' Chase

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Steeplechase horse race in Britain

Horse race

Future Champion Novices' Chase Class Grade 2 Location Ayr Racecourse Ayrshire, Scotland Race type Steeplechase Sponsor Jordan Electrics Website Ayr Race information Distance 2m 4½f (4,163 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 5 lb for Class 1 wfa chase 3 lb for Class 2 wfa or Class 1 hcap chase Purse £24,000 (2021) 1st: £13,855

Future Champion Novices' Chase 2023 Datsalrightgino Thunder Rock Unexpected Party

Previous years 2022 Do Your Job Minella Drama Il Ridoto 2021 Allmankind Malystic Whoshotthesheriff

2020-2011 2019 Secret Investor Louis' Vac Pouch Monbeg Legend 2018 Bigmartre Cobra De Mai Only two finished 2017 Cloudy Dream Theinval Oldgrangewood 2016 Le Mercurey Bristol De Mai Otago Trail 2015 Top Gamble Seventh Sky Solar Impulse 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

2000-1991 2000 Gingembre Spirit Dancer Bosuns Mate 1999 Bouchasson Scotia Nostra Irbee 1998 Eirespray Edelweis Du Moulin Ingletonian 1997 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 1993 Cab On Target Persian House Montpelier Lad 1992 The Illywhacker Armagret Whaat Fettle 1991 High Knowl Lothian Captain Young Benz

1990-1988 1990 Celtic Shot Young Snugfit Highfrith 1989 Southern Minstrel Interim Lib Tartan Tailor 1988 Jim Thorpe Colonel Rose High Debate

The **Future Champion Novices' Chase** was a Grade 2 [National Hunt](/source/National_Hunt_racing) [steeplechase](/source/Steeplechase_(horse_racing)) in Great Britain which was open to horses aged five years or older. It was run at [Ayr](/source/Ayr_Racecourse), [Scotland](/source/Scotland), over a distance of about 2 miles, 4 furlongs and 110 yards (4,163 metres), and during its running there were seventeen fences to be jumped. The race was for [novice](/source/Novice_(racehorse)) chasers, but was cut from the race calendar ahead of the 2023/24 National Hunt season.

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 2 miles 4 furlongs 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](/source/Scottish_Grand_National). The winners Gingembre and Grey Abbey both subsequently achieved victory in the latter race.

In April 2023 the [British Horseracing Authority](/source/British_Horseracing_Authority) announced the removal of the race from the 2023/24 programme.[1]

## Records

**Leading jockey since 1968 (3 wins):**

- [Ron Barry](/source/Ron_Barry) – *The Benign Bishop (1973), Easby Abbey (1975), Little Bay (1981)*

- [Jonjo O'Neill](/source/Jonjo_O'Neill_(jockey)) – *Crofton Hall (1977), King Weasel (1978), Night Nurse (1979)*

- [Ruby Walsh](/source/Ruby_Walsh) - *Val Solitaire (2003), Natal (2007), Pacha du Polder (2012)*

**Leading [trainer](/source/Horse_trainer) since 1968 (7 wins):**

- [Paul Nicholls](/source/Paul_Nicholls_(horse_racing)) - *See More Indians (1994), Valley Henry (2002), Val Solitaire (2003), Natal (2007), Pacha du Polder (2012), Le Mercurey (2016), Secret Investor (2019)*

## Winners

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1968 Certainement 6 Stan Mellor Edward Courage 1969 Chesapeake Bay 6 Gerry Scott Neville Crump 1970 Mischievous Monk 6 Stan Hayhurst Lord Kilmany 1971 Chorus 10 Stan Mellor Harry Thomson Jones 1972 Avondhu 9 Peter Brogan P Chesmore 1973 The Benign Bishop 6 Ron Barry Ken Oliver 1974 Winter Rain 6 Michael Dickinson Tony Dickinson 1975 Easby Abbey 8 Ron Barry Peter Easterby 1976 Cromwell Road 6 David Goulding Gordon W. Richards 1977 Crofton Hall 8 Jonjo O'Neill J Dixon 1978 King Weasel 6 Jonjo O'Neill Peter Easterby 1979 Night Nurse 8 Jonjo O'Neill Peter Easterby 1980 Don't Forget 6 Ridley Lamb Arthur Stephenson 1981 Little Bay 6 Ron Barry Gordon W. Richards 1982 Full Sutton 9 Bob Davies Derek Kent 1983 Mountain Hays 8 Alan Brown Peter Easterby 1984 Noddy's Ryde 7 Neale Doughty Gordon W. Richards 1985 Buck House 7 Tommy Carmody Mouse Morris (Ir) 1986 Amber Rambler 7 Steve Youlden Harry Wharton 1987 General Chandos 6 Johnny Bradburne[a] Johnny 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 Robert Widger[a] 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 [b] 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 Rajdhani Express 6 Sam Waley-Cohen[a] Nicky Henderson 2014 Eduard 6 Brian Harding Nicky Richards 2015 Top Gamble 7 Richard Johnson Richard Lee 2016 Le Mercurey 6 Sam Twiston-Davies Paul Nicholls 2017 Cloudy Dream 7 Brian Hughes Malcolm Jefferson 2018 Bigmartre 7 Harry Bannister Harry Whittington 2019 Secret Investor 7 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls no race 2020 [c] 2021 Allmankind 5 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2022 Do Your Job 8 Richard Patrick Michael Scudamore 2023 Datsalrightgino 7 Gavin Sheehan Jamie Snowden

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-am_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-am_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-am_2-2) amateur jockey

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Yes Sir](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Yes_Sir_(horse)&action=edit&redlink=1) finished first in 2007, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** The 2020 running was cancelled because of the [COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom](/source/COVID-19_pandemic_in_the_United_Kingdom)[2]

## See also

- [Horse racing in Scotland](/source/Horse_racing_in_Scotland)

- [List of British National Hunt races](/source/List_of_British_National_Hunt_races)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Package of changes agreed to help strengthen performance of British Jump racing"](https://www.britishhorseracing.com/press_releases/package-of-changes-agreed-to-help-strengthen-performance-of-british-jump-racing/). British Horseracing Authority. 27 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Coronavirus: Horse racing in Great Britain suspended until end of April"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/51930209). *BBC Sport*. 17 March 2020.

- [Racing Post](/source/Racing_Post): - [1988](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1988-04-16/23914), [1989](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1989-04-15/29429), [1990](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1990-04-21/35234), [1991](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1991-04-20/40696), [1992](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1992-04-11/46076), [1993](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1993-04-17/52213), [1994](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1994-04-16/57702), [1995](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1995-04-22/63514), [1996](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1996-04-20/201147), [1997](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1997-04-19/236312) - [1998](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1998-04-18/249808), [1999](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1999-04-17/264555), [2000](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2000-04-15/278699), [2001](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2001-04-21/299058), [2002](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2002-04-20/314159), [2003](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2003-04-12/329878), [2004](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2004-04-17/348312), [2005](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2005-04-16/380688), [2006](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2006-04-22/404925), [2007](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2007-04-21/428461) - [2008](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2008-04-19/453393), [2009](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2009-04-18/478345), [2010](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2010-04-17/502398), [2011](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2011-04-16/527183), [2012](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2012-04-21/551249), [2013](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2013-04-20/575381), [2014](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2014-04-12/597988), [2015](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2015-04-18/621918), [2016](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2016-04-16/646631), [2017](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2017-04-22/671699) - [2018](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2018-04-21/697358), [2019](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2019-04-13/725025), [2021](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2021-04-18/780555), [2022](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2022-04-02/806258), [2023](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2023-04-22/835928)

## External links

- Race Recordings (1979, 1985-2008) [youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfn5x2SD03q4-Pr2Z34ShDAb6Ogkv_zC2)

- [pedigreequery.com](http://www.pedigreequery.com/index.php?search_bar=stakes&query_type=stakes&field=view&id=6343) – *Future Champion Novices' Chase – Ayr*.

- *Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992–93*. Portway Press. 1993. p. 172.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Future Champion Novices' Chase](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_Champion_Novices'_Chase) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_Champion_Novices'_Chase?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.