The Masters Handicap Chase is a National Hunt handicap steeplechase in England which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 3 miles (3 miles and 37 yards, or 4,862 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late January or early February.
The race was first run in 1954 and in the sixties was won three times by Mill House. It was known as the Gainsborough Chase until 1991, when the race was renamed the Agfa Diamond Chase, a Limited Handicap holding Grade 2 status. Agfa sponsored the race until 2007. Since 2008 it has been run as the Masters Handicap Chase.
The race last carried Grade 2 status in 1997 and in recent years it has become a normal (albeit valuable) Class B handicap, currently sponsored by Virgin Bet.
Winners Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer1954Shaef1011-07Bryan MarshallTowser Gosden1955Abandoned because of snow 1956Abandoned because of frost 1957Rose Park1112-05Graham NichollsPeter Cazalet1958Pelopidas811–11Dave DickFrenchie Nicholson 1959Saffron Tartan811–11Toss TaaffeVincent O'Brien (Ir) 1960Double Star811–11Arthur FreemanPeter Cazalet1961Carraroe911-07Taffy JenkinsC Mitchell1962Blue Dolphin911-05Bill ReesPeter Cazalet1963Abandoned because of snow and frost1964Mill House712-05Willie RobinsonFulke Walwyn1965Mill House812-05Willie RobinsonFulke Walwyn1966What A Myth911-09Paul KellawayRyan Price1967Mill House1011-09Willie RobinsonFulke Walwyn1968The Laird711-09Jeff KingBob Turnell1969Stalbridge Colonist1011-09Stan MellorKen Cundell1970Spanish Steps712-00John CookEdward Courage1971Titus Oates912-00Ron BarryGordon W. Richards1972Crisp912-00Richard PitmanFred Winter1973Royal Toss1111-09Nigel WakleyH Handel 1974Kilvulgan710-09Andy TurnellBob Turnell 1975Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course 1976Bula1112-00John FrancomeFred Winter1977Master H810-08Mr John WestonMichael Oliver 1978Master H911-03John FrancomeMichael Oliver 1979Diamond Edge811-03Bill SmithFulke Walwyn1980Diamond Edge912-00Bill SmithFulke Walwyn1981Tragus910-07Bob DaviesDavid Morley1982Bregawn810-07Robert EarnshawMichael Dickinson1983Observe711-03John FrancomeFred Winter1984Burrough Hill Lad811–10John FrancomeJenny Pitman1985Burrough Hill Lad912-00John FrancomeJenny Pitman 1986Burrough Hill Lad1012-00Peter ScudamoreJenny Pitman1987Desert Orchid811–10Colin BrownDavid Elsworth 1988 Charter Party 10 10–11 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson 1989 Desert Orchid 10 12-00 Simon Sherwood David Elsworth1990 Abandoned due to waterlogged state of course 1991 Desert Orchid 12 12-00 Richard Dunwoody David Elsworth 1992 Espy 9 10-07 Graham Bradley Charlie Brooks 1993 Country Member 8 10-07 Luke Harvey Andy Turnell 1994 Second Schedual 9 10-07 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson 1995 Deep Bramble 8 10–13 Chris Maude Paul Nicholls 1996 Amtrak Express 9 10-07 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson 1997 Dextra Dove 10 11-02 Norman Williamson Simon Earle 1998 Court Melody 10 10-05 Chris Maude Paul Nicholls 1999 Clever Remark 10 10-05 Timmy Murphy Jim Old 2000 Trouble Ahead 9 11–04 Rupert Wakley Kim Bailey 2001 Storm Damage 9 10-07 Robert Thornton Paul Nicholls 2002 Billingsgate 10 11-01 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2003 Iris Bleu 7 11-02 Tom Scudamore Martin Pipe 2004 Kings Mistral 11 11-00 Richard Johnson Patrick Chamings 2005 Innox 9 10-08 Robert Thornton François Doumen 2006 Dunbrody Millar 8 10-03 Tom Malone Peter Bowen 2007 Rambling Minster 9 10-05 Richie McGrath Keith Reveley 2008 Gungadu 8 11-05 Sam Thomas Paul Nicholls 2009 Can't Buy Time 7 10-00 Richie McLernon Jonjo O'Neill 2010 Monkerhostin 13 11–12 Mr M Griffiths Philip Hobbs 2011 Eric's Charm 13 10–11 Leighton Aspell Oliver Sherwood2012 Abandoned due to frost 2013 On Trend 7 10-00 Tom Cannon Nick Gifford 2014 Relax 9 11-01 Aidan Coleman Venetia Williams 2015 Le Reve 7 10–13 Daryl Jacob Lucy Wadham 2016 Le Reve 8 11-04 Harry Skelton Lucy Wadham 2017 Otago Trail 9 11–09 Charlie Deutsch Venetia Williams 2018 Ballydine 8 10–11 Sean Bowen Charlie Longsdon 2019 Classic Ben 6 10–10 Charlie Gethings Stuart Edmunds 2020 Deise Aba 7 10–07 Tom O'Brien Philip Hobbs 2021 Deise Aba 8 11–07 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2022 Le Milos 7 11–06 Alan Johns Tim Vaughan 2023 Castle Robin 8 11–05 Paul O'Brien Charlie Longsdon 2024 Java Point 9 11–01 Jonathan Burke Henry Oliver 2025 O'Connell 9 10-11 Gavin Sheehan Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith 2026 Pic Roc 8 10-07 Ben Jones Ben Pauling
The 1985 edition was a walkover.
See also Horseracing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
External links Race Recordings (1972, 1976, 1980-2004) youtube.com