The Ladbrokes Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Down Royal over a distance of about 3 miles (4,828 metres), and during its running there are fifteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November.
Grade 1 race | |
Location | DOwn Royal, County Down Northern Ireland |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1999 |
Race type | Chase |
Sponsor | Ladbrokes |
Website | Down Royal |
Race information | |
Distance | 3 miles (4,828 metres) |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Right-handed |
Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
Weight | 11 st 10 lb Allowances 7 lb for mares |
Purse | €125,000 (2020) 1st: €73,750 |
2024 | ||
Envoi Allen | Hewick | Gerri Colombe |
Previous years | ||
---|---|---|
2023 | ||
Gerri Colombe | Envoi Allen | Conflated |
2022 | ||
Envoi Allen | Kemboy | Conflated |
2021 | ||
Frodon | Galvin | Minella Indo |
2000-1999 | ||
---|---|---|
2000 | ||
Looks Like Trouble | Dorans Pride | Inis Cara |
1999 | ||
Florida Pearl | Dorans Pride | Ferbet Junior |
The event was established in 1999, and it was initially contested over 3 miles and 1 furlong. It was cut to its present distance in 2000, and given Grade 1 status in 2002.
The Ladbrokes Champion Chase is now the first Grade 1 event of the Irish National Hunt season. It was sponsored by JNwine.com (James Nicholson Wine Merchant) from its inception until the 2018 running. Ladbrokes took over the sponsorship in 2019.[1]
Records
editMost successful horse (2 wins):
- Beef Or Salmon – 2004, 2006
- Kauto Star - 2008, 2010
- Road to Respect - 2018, 2019
- Envoi Allen - 2022, 2024
Leading jockey (4 wins):
- Ruby Walsh – Taranis (2007), Kauto Star (2008, 2010), Valseur Lido (2016)
Leading trainer (5 wins):
- Paul Nicholls – Taranis (2007), Kauto Star (2008, 2010), Kauto Stone (2012), Frodon (2021)
- Gordon Elliott - Roi du Mee (2013), Don Cossack (2015), Outlander (2017), The Storyteller (2020), Gerri Colombe (2023)
Winners
editWinner |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | Florida Pearl | 7 | Paul Carberry | Willie Mullins |
2000 | Looks Like Trouble | 8 | Richard Johnson | Noel Chance |
2001 | Foxchapel King | 8 | David Casey | Mouse Morris |
2002 | More Than a Stroll | 10 | Conor O'Dwyer | Arthur Moore |
2003 | Glenelly Gale | 9 | Conor O'Dwyer | Arthur Moore |
2004 | Beef Or Salmon | 8 | Timmy Murphy | Michael Hourigan |
no race 2005 [a] | ||||
2006 | Beef Or Salmon | 10 | Andrew McNamara | Michael Hourigan |
2007 | Taranis | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
2008 | Kauto Star | 8 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
2009 | The Listener | 10 | Andrew McNamara | Nick Mitchell |
2010 | Kauto Star | 10 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
2011 | Quito de la Roque | 7 | Davy Russell | Colm Murphy |
2012 | Kauto Stone | 6 | Daryl Jacob | Paul Nicholls |
2013 | Roi du Mee | 8 | Bryan Cooper | Gordon Elliott |
2014 | Road to Riches | 7 | Paul Carberry | Noel Meade |
2015 | Don Cossack | 8 | Bryan Cooper | Gordon Elliott |
2016 | Valseur Lido | 7 | Ruby Walsh | Henry de Bromhead |
2017 | Outlander | 9 | Jack Kennedy | Gordon Elliott |
2018 | Road to Respect | 7 | Sean Flanagan | Noel Meade |
2019 | Road to Respect | 8 | Sean Flanagan | Noel Meade |
2020 | The Storyteller | 9 | Keith Donoghue | Gordon Elliott |
2021 | Frodon | 9 | Bryony Frost | Paul Nicholls |
2022 | Envoi Allen | 8 | Rachael Blackmore | Henry de Bromhead |
2023 | Gerri Colombe | 7 | Jack Kennedy | Gordon Elliott |
2024 | Envoi Allen | 10 | Darragh O'Keeffe | Henry de Bromhead |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Jennings, David (10 September 2019). "Ladbrokes unveiled as new sponsor of first Grade 1 of jumps season at Down Royal". Racing Post.
- ^ "Racing abandoned in bomb threat". bbc.co.uk. 5 November 2005. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
- Racing Post:
- guardian.co.uk – "Kauto Star strides to victory in jnwine.com Champion Chase" (2008).
- pedigreequery.com – James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase – Down Royal.