Sharp Novices' Hurdle
The Sharp Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and half a furlong (2 miles and 87 yards, or 3,298 m), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in November.
| Grade 2 race | |
| Location | Cheltenham Racecourse Cheltenham, England |
|---|---|
| Race type | Hurdle race |
| Sponsor | Sky Bet |
| Website | Cheltenham |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2m 87y (3,298 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Four-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 0 lb Allowances 7 lb for fillies and mares Penalties 5 lb for winners of a Class 1 wfa hurdle 3 lb for winners of a Class 2 wfa or Class 1 handicap hurdle |
| Purse | £32,000 (2019) 1st: £18,224 |
| 2019 | ||
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| Hang In There | Pacify | Ecco |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ||
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| Elixir De Nutz | Itchy Feet | Seddon |
| 2017 | ||
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| Slate House | Summerville Boy | Better Getalong |
| 2016 | ||
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| Moon Racer | Mirsaale | Ballyandy |
| 2015 | ||
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| Altior | Maputo | Simon Squirrel |
| 2014 | ||
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| Vyta Du Roc | Emerging Talent | Pyromaniac |
| 2013 | ||
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| The Liquidator | Sea Lord | Minellaforleisure |
| 2012 | ||
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| Dodging Bullets | River Maigue | Court Minstrel |
| 2011 | ||
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| Steps To Freedom | Prospect Wells | Ericht |
| 2010 | ||
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| Cue Card | Dunraven Storm | Ballyadam Brook |
| 2009 | ||
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| Loosen My Load | Some Present | Secret Dancer |
| 2008 | ||
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| Golan Way | Over Sixty | American Trilogy |
| 2007 | ||
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| I'msingingtheblues | Snap Tie | Dark Bolero |
| 2006 | ||
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| Moon Over Miami | War General | Mill House Girl |
| 2005 | ||
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| Boychuk | Buena Vista | Two Miles West |
| 2004 | ||
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| Marcel | Baby Run | Shuhood |
| 2003 | ||
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| Self Defense | Albuhera | Contraband |
The event was formerly contested over 2 miles, and it used to be held in December. It was extended by a furlong in 1992, and it was cut to its present length and moved to November in 1994. In 2011 the race was renamed as the Opus Energy Novices' Hurdle as part of a sponsorship deal with UK power supplier Opus Energy.[1] Since 2013 the race has been sponsored by Sky Bet and run as the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices' Hurdle.
Winners since 1987
| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Butt and Ben | 3 | Roger Chapman | Fulke Walwyn |
| 1988 | Green Willow | 6 | Peter Hobbs | Josh Gifford |
| 1989 | Run for Free | 5 | Peter Scudamore | Martin Pipe |
| no race 1990 [lower-alpha 1] | ||||
| 1991 | Thetford Forest | 4 | Richard Dunwoody | David Nicholson |
| 1992 | Satin Lover | 4 | Graham McCourt | Nigel Tinkler |
| 1993 | Large Action | 5 | Jamie Osborne | Oliver Sherwood |
| 1994 | Berude Not To | 5 | Jamie Osborne | Oliver Sherwood |
| 1995 | Mandys Mantino | 5 | Philip Hide | Josh Gifford |
| 1996 | Kailash | 5 | Tony McCoy | Martin Pipe |
| 1997 | Circus Star | 4 | Adrian Maguire | David Nicholson |
| 1998 | Hoh Invader | 6 | Richard Dunwoody | Charlie Mann |
| 1999 | Silence Reigns | 5 | Mick Fitzgerald | Paul Nicholls |
| 2000 | Reiziger | 4 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs |
| 2001 | Fireball Macnamara | 5 | Timmy Murphy | Mark Pitman |
| 2002 | Mutakarrim | 5 | Paul Carberry | Dermot Weld |
| 2003 | Self Defense | 6 | Barry Keniry | Emma Lavelle |
| 2004 | Marcel | 4 | Timmy Murphy | Martin Pipe |
| 2005 | Boychuk | 4 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs |
| 2006 | Moon Over Miami | 5 | Noel Fehily | Charlie Mann |
| 2007 | I'msingingtheblues | 5 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2008 | Golan Way | 4 | Jamie Goldstein | Sheena West |
| 2009 | Loosen My Load | 5 | Andrew Lynch | Henry de Bromhead |
| 2010 | Cue Card | 4 | Joe Tizzard | Colin Tizzard |
| 2011 | Steps to Freedom | 5 | Robbie Power | Jessica Harrington |
| 2012 | Dodging Bullets | 4 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2013 | The Liquidator | 5 | Tom Scudamore | David Pipe |
| 2014 | Vyta Du Roc | 5 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2015 | Altior | 5 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2016 | Moon Racer | 7 | Tom Scudamore | David Pipe |
| 2017 | Slate House | 5 | Harry Cobden | Colin Tizzard |
| 2018 | Elixir de Nutz | 4 | Harry Cobden | Colin Tizzard |
| 2019 | Hang In There | 5 | Adam Wedge | Emma Lavelle |
- The 1990 running was abandoned because of snow
References
- "Cheltenham welcomes shloer and Opus Energy as new sponsors at the open" (PDF). 4 November 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2012.