The December Novices' Chase was a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which was open to horses aged four years or older. It was run at Doncaster over a distance of about 3 miles (2 miles 7 furlongs and 214 yards or 4,828 metres), and during its running there were eighteen fences to be jumped. The race was for novice chasers, and it was scheduled to take place each year in December.
The race was first run in 1988. Prior to 2014 it was run at Lingfield Park and was the only National Hunt event run at the course with graded status. It was transferred to Doncaster by Arena Racing Company, the owner of both courses. The Summit Juvenile Hurdle used to be contested on the same day at Lingfield but was transferred to Doncaster in 2010 – the two races were both run at the same meeting again until 2022.
In April 2023 the British Horseracing Authority announced the removal of the race from the 2023/24 programme.
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1988 Nick the Brief 6 Tom Costello John Costello 1989 no race 1989 1990 Sparkling Flame 6 John White Nicky Henderson 1991 River Bounty 5 Robbie Supple John Upson 1992 Midnight Caller 6 Mark Richards Simon Sherwood 1993 Martomick 6 Norman Williamson Kim Bailey 1994Abandoned due to unsafe state of chase course 1995Abandoned due to snow 1996 Foodbroker Star 6 Leighton Aspell Josh Gifford 1997 Fiddling the Facts 6 Norman Williamson Nicky Henderson 1998 Executive King 7 Andrew Thornton Geoff Hubbard 1999 Be My Mot 7 Jamie Goldstein Gardie Grissell 2000Abandoned due to waterlogged state of course 2001Abandoned due to frost 2002 no race 2002 2003 Lord Sam 7 Andrew Thornton Victor Dartnall 2004 L'Ami 5 Dean Gallagher François Doumen 2005 no race 2005–06 2007 Verasi 6 Jamie Moore Gary L. Moore 2008 no race 2008 2009 Burton Port 5 Tony McCoy Nicky Henderson 2008 no race 2010–11 2012 Court in Motion 7 Leighton Aspell Emma Lavelle 2013 Black Thunder 6 Nick Scholfield Paul Nicholls 2014 Virak 5 Nick Scholfield Paul Nicholls 2015 Southfield Royale 5 Wayne Hutchinson Neil Mulholland 2016 Present Man 6 Jack Sherwood Paul Nicholls 2017 Keeper Hill 6 Gavin Sheehan Warren Greatrex 2018 Rocky's Treasure 7 David Bass Kim Bailey 2019 Sam Spinner 7 Joe Colliver Jedd O'Keeffe 2020 Hurricane Harvey 6 Paddy Brennan Fergal O'Brien 2021 Threeunderthrufive 6 Adrian Heskin Paul Nicholls 2022 no race 2022
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – December Novices' Chase – Lingfield. – "Lingfield abandoned due to frost" (2005). breakingnews.ie – "Lingfield abandoned" (2006). – "Cheltenham and Lingfield abandoned" (2008).