The BetVictor Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Northern Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Down Royal, Lisburn over a distance of about 3 miles (4,828 metres), and during its running there are fifteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November.
The event was established in 1999, and it was initially contested over 3 miles and 1 furlong. It was cut to its present distance in 2000, and given Grade 1 status in 2002.
The BetVictor Champion Chase is now the first Grade 1 event of the Irish National Hunt season. It was sponsored by JNwine.com (James Nicholson Wine Merchant) from its inception until the 2018 running. Ladbrokes took over the sponsorship in 2019. The race has been sponsored by BetVictor since 2025.
Records Most successful horse (3 wins): Envoi Allen - 2022, 2024, 2025
Leading jockey (4 wins): Ruby Walsh – Taranis (2007), Kauto Star (2008, 2010), Valseur Lido (2016)
Leading trainer (5 wins): Paul Nicholls – Taranis (2007), Kauto Star (2008, 2010), Kauto Stone (2012), Frodon (2021) Gordon Elliott - Roi du Mee (2013), Don Cossack (2015), Outlander (2017), The Storyteller (2020), Gerri Colombe (2023)
Winners Winner Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1999 Florida Pearl 7 Paul Carberry Willie Mullins 2000 Looks Like Trouble 8 Richard Johnson Noel Chance 2001 Foxchapel King 8 David Casey Mouse Morris 2002 More Than a Stroll 10 Conor O'Dwyer Arthur Moore 2003 Glenelly Gale 9 Conor O'Dwyer Arthur Moore 2004 Beef Or Salmon 8 Timmy Murphy Michael Hourigan 2005 no race 2005 2006 Beef Or Salmon 10 Andrew McNamara Michael Hourigan 2007 Taranis 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2008 Kauto Star 8 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2009 The Listener 10 Andrew McNamara Nick Mitchell 2010 Kauto Star 10 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2011 Quito de la Roque 7 Davy Russell Colm Murphy 2012 Kauto Stone 6 Daryl Jacob Paul Nicholls 2013 Roi du Mee 8 Bryan Cooper Gordon Elliott 2014 Road to Riches 7 Paul Carberry Noel Meade 2015 Don Cossack 8 Bryan Cooper Gordon Elliott 2016 Valseur Lido 7 Ruby Walsh Henry de Bromhead 2017 Outlander 9 Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott 2018 Road to Respect 7 Sean Flanagan Noel Meade 2019 Road to Respect 8 Sean Flanagan Noel Meade 2020 The Storyteller 9 Keith Donoghue Gordon Elliott 2021 Frodon 9 Bryony Frost Paul Nicholls 2022 Envoi Allen 8 Rachael Blackmore Henry de Bromhead 2023 Gerri Colombe 7 Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott 2024 Envoi Allen 10 Darragh O'Keeffe Henry de Bromhead 2025 Envoi Allen 11 Darragh O'Keeffe Henry de Bromhead
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
guardian.co.uk – "Kauto Star strides to victory in jnwine.com Champion Chase" (2008). pedigreequery.com – James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase – Down Royal.