| Tue 10th March 2020 | 16:50 | Grade 2 | 2m 4f 110y |
Novices’ Handicap Chase Results
| Pos | Dist | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Age | Wgt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Imperial Aura | David Bass | K C Bailey | |||
| 2nd | 3.25 | Galvin | D N Russell | G Elliott | ||
| 3rd | 9 | Hold The Note | J J Burke | M R Channon | ||
| 4th | 0.5 | Whatmore | T J O’Brien | H D Daly | ||
| 5th | 0.5 | Beakstown | Harry Skelton | D Skelton | ||
| 6th | 4.75 | Mitchouka | D J McInerney | Gearoid O’loughlin | ||
| 7th | 3 | Highest Sun | R M Power | C L Tizzard | ||
| 8th | shd | Champagne Court | Nick Scholfield | J Scott | ||
| 9th | 1.5 | Daly Tiger | S W Flanagan | N Meade | ||
| 10th | 2.75 | Torpillo | D A Jacob | N A Twiston-Davies | ||
| 11th | 11 | Earlofthecotswolds | Sam Twiston-Davies | N A Twiston-Davies | ||
| 12th | 3.5 | Paint The Dream | Jack Tudor | F O’Brien | ||
| 13th | 29 | Trainwreck | Rachael Blackmore | H de Bromhead | ||
| – | – | Precious Cargo | N de Boinville | N J Henderson | ||
| – | – | Jarveys Plate | P J Brennan | F O’Brien | ||
| – | – | Mellow Ben | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| – | – | Knight In Dubai | Conor Shoemark | D Skelton | ||
| – | – | Lord Schnitzel | B J Cooper | Matthew J Smith | ||
| – | – | Espoir De Guye | Charlie Deutsch | Miss V Williams | ||
| – | – | Champagne Mystery | J McGrath | N J Henderson | ||
| – | – | De Plotting Shed | T Scudamore | Suzi Best |
Novices’ Handicap Chase Offers
About the Novices’ Handicap Chase
The Novices’ Handicap Chase is a Listed handicap steeplechase run on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. Covering a distance of 2 miles 4½ furlongs, the race features 16 fences. Entry is restricted to 5-year-old racehorses with a handicap below 140.
Given the restrictions on racehorse quality and the handicap, the Novices’ Handicap Chase doesn’t match the prestige of the other races on Cheltenham’s Day One card. Nevertheless, a win in the race will typically be the crowning achievement of the winner’s career.
Betting on the Novices’ Handicap Chase
The Novices Handicap Chase is easily the most open race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. The prices for the field are speculative at best, and picking a winner will require a thorough assessment of each horse in the race, looking for matches to race distance under similar handicaps, as well as how recent form will have impacted the handicaps.
Keep in mind that some trainers will have run their horses to perform poorly in races in the lead-up to the Novices’ Handicap Chase in order to push down the handicap for their Cheltenham run. So look out for horses recently run outside their favoured race distance, who have previously performed well over 20 furlongs under similar weights to what they’ll carry at Cheltenham.
Novices’ Handicap Chase Past Winners
| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | A Plus Tard | 5 | 11-07 | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2018 | Mister Whitaker | 6 | 11-02 | Brian Hughes | Mick Channon |
| 2017 | Tully East | 7 | 11-08 | Denis O’Regan | Alan Fleming |
| 2016 | Ballyalton | 9 | 11-10 | Brian Hughes | Ian Williams |
| 2015 | Irish Cavalier | 6 | 11-07 | Paul Townend | Rebecca Curtis |
