Worcester Novices' Chase
| 2022 | ||
| McFabulous | Thyme Hill | Mortlach |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ||
| Ahoy Senor | Mr Incredible | Flash Collonges |
| 2020-2011 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ||
| Next Destination | One For The Team | Kalooki |
| 2019 | ||
| Danny Whizzbang | Reserve Tank | Ardlethen |
| 2018 | ||
| Santini | Rocky's Treasure | Le Breuil |
| 2017 | ||
| Elegant Escape | Black Corton | Sir Ivan |
| 2016 | ||
| Thistlecrack | Bigbadjohn | Ibis Du Rheu |
| 2015 | ||
| Native River | Un Temps Pour Tout | Port Melon |
| 2014 | ||
| Carraig Mor | Southfield Theatre | My Silver Cloud |
| 2013 | ||
| Just A Par | Third Intention | Ardkilly Witness |
| 2012 | ||
| Harry Topper | Benefficient | Highland Lodge |
| 2011 | ||
| Grands Crus | Sonofvic | Viking Blond |
| 2010-2001 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
| Aiteen Thirtythree | Voramar Two | Be There in Five |
| 2009 | ||
| Michel Le Bon | Bench Warrant | Pettifour |
| 2008 | ||
| Gone To Lunch | Tartak | Hold Em |
| 2007 | ||
| Joe Lively | Here's Johnny | Only two finished |
| 2006 | ||
| Boychuk | Gungadu | Wee Robbie |
| 2005 | ||
| Darkness | Iris's Gift | Unleash |
| 2004 | ||
| Cornish Rebel | Distant Thunder | St Matthew |
| 2003 | ||
| Ballycassidy | Native Emperor | Celestial Gold |
| 2002 | ||
| Lucky Bay | Joly Bey | One Knight |
| 2001 | ||
| Valley Henry | Frosty Canyon | Southern Star |
| 2000-1990 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ||
| Shotgun Willy | Take Control | Bindaree |
| 1999 | ||
| Connor Macleod | Papo Kharisma | Galapiat Du Mesnil |
| 1998 | ||
| Ocean Hawk | Tiraldo | Farfadet |
| 1997 | ||
| Ottowa | Eulogy | Edgemoor Prince |
| 1996 | ||
| Pleasure Shared | Around The Gale | Mony-Skip |
| 1995 | ||
| Betty's Boy | Cherrynut | Gospel |
| 1993 | ||
| See More Indians | Run Up The Flag | Craigstown |
| 1992 | ||
| Barton Bank | Superior Finish | Petty Bridge |
| 1991 | ||
| Captain Dibble | Bel Course | Tochenka |
| 1990 | ||
| Killbanon | What's The Crack | Chancery Buck |
The Worcester Novices' Chase, later run as the John Francome Novices' Chase, was a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It was run at Newbury over a distance of about 2 miles and 7½ furlongs (2 miles 7 furlongs and 86 yards, or 4,706 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 late November or early December.
The race was first run in 1990 and was originally held at Worcester, where it was contested over distances of up to 2 miles and 7½ furlongs and run as the Worcester Novices' Chase. It was transferred to Newbury and extended to its later length in 2000.
In 2017 the race was renamed in honour of John Francome, with the press release explaining that the race "was transferred from Worcester racecourse 17 years ago, so the geographical connection with the Pitchcroft is no longer relevant."[1]
In April 2023 the British Horseracing Authority announced the removal of the race from the 2023/24 programme.[2] The race name was reallocated to another novice chase run at the same meeting and previously titled the Berkshire Novices' Chase.
Records
Leading jockey (4 wins):
- Harry Cobden - Elegant Escape (2017), Danny Whizzbang (2019), Next Destination (2020), McFabulous (2022)
Leading trainer (11 wins):
- Paul Nicholls – See More Indians (1993), Ottowa (1997), Shotgun Willy (2000), Valley Henry (2001), Cornish Rebel (2004), Michel Le Bon (2009), Aiteen Thirtythree (2010), Just A Par (2013), Danny Whizzbang (2019), Next Destination (2020), McFabulous (2022)
Winners
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Killbanon | 8 | Simon Earle | Chris Trietline |
| 1991 | Captain Dibble | 6 | Peter Scudamore | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 1992 | Barton Bank | 6 | Richard Dunwoody | David Nicholson |
| 1993 | See More Indians | 6 | Graham Bradley | Paul Nicholls |
| 1994 | Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course | |||
| 1995 | Betty's Boy | 6 | Richard Dunwoody | Kim Bailey |
| 1996 | Pleasure Shared | 8 | Chris Maude | Philip Hobbs |
| 1997 | Ottowa | 7 | Timmy Murphy | Paul Nicholls |
| 1998 | Ocean Hawk | 6 | Carl Llewellyn | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
| 1999 | Connor Macleod | 6 | Norman Williamson | Mark Pitman |
| 2000 | Shotgun Willy | 6 | Joe Tizzard | Paul Nicholls |
| 2001 | Valley Henry | 6 | Timmy Murphy | Paul Nicholls |
| 2002 | Lucky Bay | 6 | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight |
| 2003 | Ballycassidy | 7 | Richard Johnson | Peter Bowen |
| 2004 | Cornish Rebel | 7 | Tony McCoy | Paul Nicholls |
| 2005 | Darkness | 6 | Barry Fenton | Charles Egerton |
| 2006 | Boychuk | 5 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs |
| 2007 | Joe Lively | 8 | Joe Tizzard | Colin Tizzard |
| 2008 | Gone to Lunch | 8 | Tony McCoy | Jeremy Scott |
| 2009 | Michel Le Bon | 6 | Tony McCoy | Paul Nicholls |
| 2010 | Aiteen Thirtythree | 6 | Noel Fehily | Paul Nicholls |
| 2011 | Grands Crus | 6 | Tom Scudamore | David Pipe |
| 2012 | Harry Topper | 5 | Timmy Murphy | Kim Bailey |
| 2013 | Just A Par | 6 | Daryl Jacob | Paul Nicholls |
| 2014 | Carraig Mor | 6 | Noel Fehily | Alan King |
| 2015 | Native River | 5 | Brendan Powell | Colin Tizzard |
| 2016 | Thistlecrack | 8 | Tom Scudamore | Colin Tizzard |
| 2017 | Elegant Escape | 5 | Harry Cobden | Colin Tizzard |
| 2018 | Santini | 6 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2019 | Danny Whizzbang | 6 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 2020 | Next Destination | 8 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 2021 | Ahoy Senor | 6 | Derek Fox | Lucinda Russell |
| 2022 | McFabulous | 8 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
See also
References
- ^ "Jump Pattern Book Blog 2017/18". BHA. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
- ^ "Package of changes agreed to help strengthen performance of British Jump racing". British Horseracing Authority. 27 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
- pedigreequery.com – Worcester Novices' Chase – Newbury.