National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup

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National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup
Grade 2 race
LocationCheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham, England
Inaugurated1860
Race typeSteeplechase
WebsiteCheltenham
Race information
Distance3m 5f 201y
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFive-years-old and up
Weight11 st 5 lb (159 lb; 72 kg) (5yo);
11 st 6 lb (160 lb; 73 kg) (6yo+)
Allowances
7 lb (3.2 kg) for mares
Purse£93,750 (2021)
1st: £52,753
National Hunt Chase
2021
Dark blue and white diamonds, white sleeves, red cap Black and white check, yellow sleeves, black and white quartered cap Royal blue, white hoops, maroon sleeves and cap
Galvin Next Destination Escaria Ten
Previous years
2020
Yellow, royal blue sash, armlets and stars on cap Purple, yellow triple diamond, diamonds on sleeves, purple cap, yellow diamond Red, white hoops, halved sleeves, royal blue cap, white stars
Ravenhill Lord Du Mesnil Lamanver Pippin
2019
Dark blue, pink chevron, dark blue sleeves, pink stars, pink cap, dark blue star Emerald green, yellow star, emerald green sleeves, yellow stars, white cap, yellow star Emerald Green, Yellow hoops, Emerald Green cap, White star
Le Breuil Discorama Jerrysback
2018
Dark blue and white diamonds, white sleeves, red cap Emerald green, orange stars, emerald green cap, orange star Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap
Rathvinden Ms Parfois Sizing Tennessee
2017
Maroon, white star, white armlets, white cap Light blue, white star, dark blue sleeves, light blue cap, white star White and red diabolo, quartered cap
Tiger Roll Missed Approach Haymount
2016
Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap Red and purple (quartered), yellow sleeves, red cap Maroon, white star, armlets and star on cap
Minella Rocco Native River Measureofmydreams
2015
Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap Black and white diamonds, emerald green sleeves and cap Light green and dark green diabolo, light green cap
Cause of Causes Broadway Buffalo The Job Is Right
2014
Dark blue, beige seams, beige and dark blue hooped sleeves and cap Dark blue, white sleeves, dark blue diamonds and cap Red, yellow epaulets, striped cap
Midnight Prayer Shotgun Paddy Suntiep
2013
Beige and black (halved), chevrons on sleeves, beige cap Maroon, white star, armlets and star on cap Dark blue, white star, red sleeves, white stars, red cap, white star
Back in Focus Tofino Bay Godsmejudge
2012
Dark blue and white stripes, halved sleeves Red, white stars on sleeves Maroon, white star, armlets and star on cap
Teaforthree Harry The Viking Four Commanders
2011
Maroon, yellow star, hooped sleeves, yellow cap White, purple hooped sleeves and cap Emerald green, dark green sleeves, dark green and emerald green quartered cap
Chicago Grey Beshabar Be There in Five
2010-2001
2010
Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots White, light blue sash, brown cap Yellow, light blue epaulets, light blue armlets, hooped cap
Poker De Sivola Becauseicouldntsee Prudent Honour
2009
Emerald green and red diabolo, white sleeves, emerald green diamonds, white cap, red diamond Emerald green and red (quartered), emerald green sleeves, emerald green cap, red star Red and yellow diamonds, red sleeves, yellow stars, red cap
Tricky Trickster Drumconvis Nine De Sivola
2008
Emerald green and yellow (quartered), white sleeves and cap Royal Blue, Emerald Green sleeves, White cap, Emerald Green spots Yellow, Mauve spots on sleeves
Old Benny Over The Creek Back on Line
2007
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Beige and maroon diamonds, beige sleeves and cap White, red cross sashes, black sleeves and cap
Butler's Cabin Character Building Countess Trifaldi
2006
Emerald Green and White (quartered), White sleeves, Emerald Green armlets YELLOW, royal blue stars, royal blue sleeves, royal blue cap, yellow stars Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap
Hot Weld Beantown Far From Trouble
2005
Emerald green and royal blue quartered, em green sleeves, striped cap Light green, black epaulets, green cap, black star Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots
Another Rum Caislean Ui Cuain Control Man
2004
Light Blue and Orange diamonds, Light Blue sleeves, Light Blue cap, Orange star Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap
Native Emperor Celestial Gold Drombeag
2003
Black, white hoops, spots on sleeves, hooped cap Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots Light blue, maroon hoops and armlets
Sudden Shock Stormez Young Ottoman
2002
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap White, green chevrons, hooped cap Royal blue, yellow chevron, light blue and white check cap
Rith Dubh Timbera Silver Steel
2000-1991
2000
Royal blue, old gold sleeves, hooped cap BLACK, yellow disc and armlet, yellow cap Yellow, emerald green spots and armlets, dark green cap
Relaxation Inch Rose Mister One
1999
Dark Green and Light Green diabolo, quartered cap Orange, Black chevrons, Orange sleeves, Black seams, quartered cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap
Deejaydee Riot Leader Spot Thedifference
1998
Yellow, narrow black hoop and cap Pink, cherry hearts, pink cap Orange and yellow diamonds, striped sleeves, yellow cap, orange diamond
Wandering Light Thatswhatithought Torduff Express
1997
Maroon, Light Blue sleeves, Light Blue and White quartered cap Royal blue, white epaulets and sleeves, royal blue armlets, white cap Dark green, light blue hooped sleeves, blue cap, green hoop
Flimsy Truth Vol Par Nuit Robsand
1996
Purple and white stripes, black velvet cap, gold tassel Blue and pink hoops, striped sleeves, blue cap Eton blue
Loving Around Fellow Countryman Class of Ninetytwo
1995
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Yellow, red cross-belts and armlets, quartered cap Cerise and lime green halved, sleeves reversed, white cap, cerise hoop
Front Line Keano Lacken Cross
1994
Claret, eton blue spots on body, blue cap Mauve and pink check, white sleeves, pink cap Yellow, black diamond, emerald green cap, black spots
Christmas Gorse Extra Special Nearly Splendid
1993
Yellow, maroon chevrons, hooped cap Light blue, brown epaulets and sleeves, quartered cap White, brown sleeves and cap
Ushers Island Claxton Greene Travelling Wrong
1992
Black, scarlet cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap White, red star, sleeves and cap
Keep Talking High Peak Belmount Captain
1991
Yellow, red epaulets, hooped sleeves, red cap Royal blue and orange (quartered); blue sleeves and cap with orange diamond Green, yellow sleeves, white cap
Smooth Escort Windy Ways Bit Of A Clown
1990-1988
1990
Violet and white check, white cap Rust and light blue (quartered), rust sleeves, yellow cap White, dark green epaulets and star on cap
Topsham Bay Royal Battery Ballinhassig
1989
Black and gold stripes, hooped sleeves, quartered cap Emerald green and royal blue (halved), sleeves reversed, yellow cap Black, yellow seams, diabolo on sleeves, yellow cap
Boraceva Gallic Prince Leagaune
1988
White, dark green epaulets and star on cap Black, beige chevron, quartered cap Dark blue, emerald green hoop, dark blue sleeves, quartered cap
Over The Road Caspar Carrot Good Waters
 

The National Hunt Challenge Cup is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain for amateur riders which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles 6 furlongs (3 miles 5 furlongs and 201 yards, or 6,018 metres), and during its running there are twenty-three fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.

History[]

Now in its 161st year, the National Hunt Chase has been run more times than any other event at the Cheltenham Festival. The Grand Annual is older, but that race was absent for much of the late 19th century.

During the early part of its history it was held at various venues, including its present home in 1904 and 1905. It was transferred more permanently to Cheltenham in 1911, when it became part of the new two-day National Hunt Meeting. Until the 1930s it was the second most important jumps race in the calendar after the Grand National.

At 3 miles and 7½ furlongs prior to 2020, the distance of the National Hunt Chase was longer than that of any other event at the Festival. It is now the second-longest after the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase. The race was contested on Cheltenham's New Course from 2005 to 2007, and during this period its length was 4 miles and 1 furlong (6.6 km). The 2008 running was titled the Peter O'Sullevan National Hunt Chase in celebration of the 90th birthday of Peter O'Sullevan, a retired racing commentator and the 2012 running was titled the Diamond Jubilee National Hunt Chase to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The 2013 race was run as the John Oaksey National Hunt Chase in memory of John Oaksey, a notable amateur National Hunt jockey and racing journalist who died in September 2012. The National Hunt Chase was given Listed status by the British Horseracing Board from its 2014 running[1] and included the name of former champion jockey Terry Biddlecombe, who died in January 2014, in its title. The 2015 race name commemorated trainer Toby Balding. The race was upgraded to Grade 2 status from the 2017 running.[2]

The race distance was reduced to about 3 miles and 6 furlongs from the 2020 running after a controversy in 2019. Only four of 18 runners finished the 2019 race. Three jockeys were banned by the racecourse stewards for continuing to ride on tired horses, although the bans were subsequently overturned on appeal.[3] The British Horseracing Authority conducted a review of the race which led to a cut in its distance and the number of fences jumped, along with some other changes relating to the eligibility of horses and jockeys to take part.[4] Only professional jockeys competed in the 2021 running as amateur riders were excluded from the Cheltenham Festival due to restrictions on grassroots sport for the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[5]

Records[]

Leading jockey since 1946 (3 wins):

  • Jamie Codd - Cause of Causes (2015), Le Breuil (2019), Ravenhill (2020)

Leading trainer since 1946 (6 wins):

  • Jonjo O'Neill – Front Line (1995), Rith Dubh (2002), Sudden Shock (2003), Native Emperor (2004), Butler's Cabin (2007), Minella Rocco (2016)

Winners since 1860[]

  • All amateur jockeys except in 2021.
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Course
1860 8 Market Harborough
1861 7 George Ede Cheltenham
1861 5 Market Harborough
1862 aged Rugby
1863 7 Market Harborough
1864 6 Burton Lazars
1865 7 Wetherby
1866 5 Crewkerne
1867 6 Henry Coventry Bedford
1868 6 Bedford
1869 no race 1869[a]
1870 5 John Maunsell Richardson Cottenham
1871 5 Burton Lazars
1872 6 Abergavenny
1873 6 Bristol
1874 5 Aylesbury
1875 4 Sandown Park
1876 5 Lord Marcus Beresford Bogside
1877 4 Richard Marsh Cottenham
1878 9 Hereford
1879 7 Derby
1880 7 Liverpool
1881 4 Garrett Moore
1882 4 Derby
1883 4 Little Dalby
1884 4 Leicester
1885 5 Garrett Moore Lincoln
1886 5 Charles Cunningham Malton
1887 6 Roddy Owen Derby
1888 4 George Lambton Mr. Jordan Sandown Park
1889 4 Cardiff
1890 5 Bogside
1891 4 Hurst Park
1892 5 Lord Royston Tom Cannon Derby
1893 7 Sandown Park
1894 6 Derby
1895 6 Sandown Park
1896 5 Hurst Park
1897 4 Newmarket
1898 4 Gatwick
1899 5 Hurst Park
1900 5 Kempton Park
1901 5 Burton Lazars
1902 5 Atty Persse James Maher Warwick
1903 5 E. Thomas Warwick
1904 6 Cheltenham
1905 8 Cheltenham
1906 7 Warwick
1907 10 Warwick
1908 7 Warwick
1909 11 Warwick
1910 9 Warwick
1911 8 Cheltenham
1912 aged
1913 11
1914 aged
1915 7
1915 no race 1915–1919[b]
1920 6
1921 7
1922 10
1923 8
1924 11
1925 12
1926 5
1927 7
1928 13
1929 9
1930 9 Jack Anthony
1931 9
1932 11 Frank Furlong
1933 6 Perry Harding Lt.-Col. M. Lindsay
1934 9 Lord Belper
1935 8 Jack Anthony
1936 10
1937 9
1938 9 Bobby Petre
1939 8 Frank Furlong
1940 no race 1940–1945[c]
1946 11
1947 8
1948 8 William Anstruther-Gray
1949 7 Lord Mildmay Vincent O'Brien
1950 7
1951 6 Peter Chisman
1952 6
1953 7
1954 8 Vincent O'Brien
1955 9 C. Pocock Peter Dufosee
1956 9 Jeremy Everitt Jeremy Everitt
1957 8
1958 7
1959 8 John Lawrence
1960 8 H. Thompson
1961 8 Sir William Pigott-Brown
1962 7
1963 8 Ian Balding
1964 10
1965 11
1966 7
1967 9
1968 9 Michael Dickinson
1969 10
1970 7 Robert Alner
1971 8
1972 7 Derrick Scott
1973 7 Harry Thomson Jones
1974 7 Mouse Morris Edward O'Grady
1975 no race 1975 [d]
1976 8 Peter Greenall
1977 10 Stan Mellor
1978 5 Mick O'Toole
1979 8
1980 11
1981 6 Toby Balding
1982 7 Willie Mullins Paddy Mullins
1983 7 Edward O'Grady
1984 7 Willie Mullins Paddy Mullins
1985 9
1986 6
1987 8
1988 7
1989 6 Toby Balding
1990 7 David Barons
1991 7
1992 7 Marcus Armytage
1993 7
1994 8 Marcus Armytage
1995 8 Jonjo O'Neill
1996 8 Edward O'Grady
1997 11
1998 9 Tim Forster
1999 7
2000 8
2001 no race 2001 [e]
2002 10 JT McNamara Jonjo O'Neill
2003 8 Jonjo O'Neill
2004 8 Jonjo O'Neill
2005 7
2006 7
2007 7 Jonjo O'Neill
2008 7 Alan King
2009 6 Sam Waley-Cohen Nigel Twiston-Davies
2010 7 Katie Walsh
2011 8 Gordon Elliott
2012 8 JT McNamara
2013 8 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins
2014 9 Alan King
2015 7 Jamie Codd Gordon Elliott
2016 Minella Rocco 6 Derek O'Connor Jonjo O'Neill
2017 Tiger Roll 7 Lisa O'Neill Gordon Elliott
2018 Rathvinden 10 Patrick Mullins Willie Mullins
2019 Le Breuil 7 Jamie Codd Ben Pauling
2020 Ravenhill 10 Jamie Codd Gordon Elliott
2021 Galvin 7 Jack Kennedy Ian Ferguson
  1. ^ The 1869 race at Wetherby was cancelled due to a ferry tragedy on the River Ure in February
  2. ^ The race was not held between 1915 and 1919 as Cheltenham was occupied by the military authorities
  3. ^ The race was not held between 1940 and 1945 due to the Second World War
  4. ^ The 1975 edition was cancelled as the course was waterlogged
  5. ^ The 2001 running was cancelled because of a foot-and-mouth crisis

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "British Horseracing Authority Announces Upgrades to Jump Pattern Races for 2013/14". Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  2. ^ "BHA's Jump Pattern Committee announces race upgrades for 2016/17 season". British Horseracing. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  3. ^ Keogh, Frank (21 March 2019). "Declan Lavery: Amateur jockey's 10-day ban from Cheltenham Festival overturned". BBC Sport.
  4. ^ Keogh, Frank (12 August 2019). "Cheltenham Festival: Fences & distance cut in National Hunt Chase after riding row". BBC Sport.
  5. ^ Scargill, Peter; Boylan, Mark (24 February 2021). "Star riders forced to miss Cheltenham as amateurs are barred from festival". Racing Post. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  • cheltenham.co.uk – Media information pack (2010).
  • pedigreequery.com – National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup – Cheltenham.
  • Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 61. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.
  • History of the National Hunt Chase 1860–2010. Peter Stevens. 2010. ISBN 978-0-9567250-0-4.
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