The Future Champion Novices' Chase was a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which was open to horses aged five years or older. It was run at Ayr, 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 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. The winners Gingembre and Grey Abbey both subsequently achieved victory in the latter race.
In April 2023 the British Horseracing Authority announced the removal of the race from the 2023/24 programme.
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) Ruby Walsh - Val Solitaire (2003), Natal (2007), Pacha du Polder (2012)
Leading trainer since 1968 (7 wins): Paul Nicholls - 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 Trainer1968Certainement6Stan MellorEdward Courage1969Chesapeake Bay6Gerry ScottNeville Crump1970Mischievous Monk6Stan HayhurstLord Kilmany1971Chorus10Stan MellorHarry Thomson Jones1972Avondhu9Peter BroganP Chesmore1973The Benign Bishop6Ron BarryKen Oliver1974Winter Rain6Michael DickinsonTony Dickinson1975Easby Abbey8Ron BarryPeter Easterby1976Cromwell Road6David GouldingGordon W. Richards1977Crofton Hall8Jonjo O'NeillJ Dixon1978King Weasel6Jonjo O'NeillPeter Easterby1979Night Nurse8Jonjo O'NeillPeter Easterby1980Don't Forget6Ridley LambArthur Stephenson1981Little Bay6Ron BarryGordon W. Richards1982Full Sutton9Bob DaviesDerek Kent1983Mountain Hays8Alan BrownPeter Easterby1984Noddy's Ryde7Neale DoughtyGordon W. Richards1985Buck House7Tommy CarmodyMouse Morris (Ir)1986Amber Rambler7Steve YouldenHarry Wharton1987General Chandos6Johnny BradburneJohnny 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 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 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 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 2021 Allmankind 5 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2022 Do Your Job 8 Richard Patrick Michael Scudamore 2023 Datsalrightgino 7 Gavin Sheehan Jamie Snowden
See also Horse racing in Scotland List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
External links Race Recordings (1979, 1985-2008) youtube.com pedigreequery.com – Future Champion Novices' Chase – Ayr.