Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase
| Class | Grade 1 |
|---|---|
| Location | Punchestown County Kildare, Ireland |
| Race type | Steeplechase |
| Sponsor | Dooley Insurance Group |
| Website | Punchestown |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 3m 120y (4,938 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Five-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 7 lb (5yo); 11 st 12 lb (6yo+) Allowances 7 lb for mares |
| Purse | €100,000 (2021) 1st: €59,000 |
| 2025 | ||
| Royal blue and emerald green diamonds, emerald green sleeves, striped cap | Dark blue and white diamonds, white sleeves, red cap | Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star |
| Champ Kiely | Ballyburn | Stellar Story |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ||
| Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap | Maroon, yellow stars, maroon sleeves, striped cap | Black, light green star, light green armlet, light green star on cap |
| Spillane's Tower | Monty's Star | Three Card Brag |
| 2023 | ||
| Light blue, light blue and pink striped cap | Royal blue and emerald green diamonds, emerald green sleeves, striped cap | Emerald green, dark green sleeves, dark green cap, emerald green spots |
| Feronily | Appreciate It | James Du Berlais |
| 2022 | ||
| Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap | Red and white check, white stars on sleeves, quartered cap | Maroon, white star and armlet, white cap |
| Capodanno | Lifetime Ambition | Fury Road |
| 2021 | ||
| Blue, white birds eye, white cap | Pink, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap | Only two finished |
| Colreevy | Monkfish | Only two finished |
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| 2010-2007 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
| Emerald green and orange hooped, white cap | Yellow and red chevrons, hooped cap | Black, white epaulettes, white chevrons on sleeves, black cap |
| Kempes | China Rock | The Midnight Club |
| 2009 | ||
| Royal blue, red seams, royal blue sleeves and cap | Emerald green, light blue cross belts, striped sleeves | Red, white cross of lorraine and sleeves, red cap |
| Rare Bob | Gone To Lunch | Joncol |
| 2008 | ||
| MAROON,white seams, black sleeves, white cap | PINK, light green spots, pink sleeves and cap | DARK BLUE, yellow star, diabolo on sleeves, dark blue cap |
| Air Force One | Pomme Tiepy | Ballycullen Boy |
| 2007 | ||
| WHITE, emerald green epaulettes, orange and emerald green quartered cap | Pink and yellow diamonds, yellow sleeves and cap | MAROON, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star |
| Offshore Account | Knight Legend | One Cool Cookie |
The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 3 miles and ½ furlong (3 miles and 120 yards, or 4,938 metres), and during its running there are seventeen fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.
The present version of the race was introduced in 2007, when it was sponsored by Ellier Developments. There had been two similar events in the preceding years – a Grade 2 race over a shorter distance (also sponsored by Ellier),[1] and a handicap race over the same length.[2] The new version was backed by Boylesports in 2009, and by Growise from 2010 to 2018.[citation needed]
The Growise Champion Novice Chase is Ireland's equivalent of the RSA Insurance Novices' Chase at Cheltenham, but no horse has won both races since 2007.[citation needed]
Records
[edit | edit source]Leading jockey since 2007 (5 wins):
- Davy Russell - Quito De La Roque (2011), Sir Des Champs (2012), Zabana (2016), The Storyteller (2018), Delta Work (2019)
Leading trainer since 2007 (6 wins):
- Willie Mullins - Kempes (2010), Sir Des Champs (2012), Valseur Lido (2015), Colreevy (2021),Capodanno (2022), Champ Kiely (2025)
Winners since 2007
[edit | edit source]| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Offshore Account | 7 | Denis O'Regan | Charlie Swan |
| 2008 | Air Force One | 6 | Noel Fehily | Charlie Mann |
| 2009 | Rare Bob | 7 | Paddy Flood | Dessie Hughes |
| 2010 | Kempes | 7 | Tony McCoy | Willie Mullins |
| 2011 | Quito De La Roque | 7 | Davy Russell | Colm Murphy |
| 2012 | Sir Des Champs | 6 | Davy Russell | Willie Mullins |
| 2013 | Mount Benbulben | 8 | Danny Mullins | Gordon Elliott |
| 2014 | Carlingford Lough | 8 | Tony McCoy | John Kiely |
| 2015 | Valseur Lido | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2016 | Zabana | 7 | Davy Russell | Andrew Lynch |
| 2017 | Disko | 6 | Bryan Cooper | Noel Meade |
| 2018 | The Storyteller | 7 | Davy Russell | Gordon Elliott |
| 2019 | Delta Work | 6 | Davy Russell | Gordon Elliott |
| no race 2020 [a] | ||||
| 2021 | Colreevy | 8 | Danny Mullins | Willie Mullins |
| 2022 | Capodanno | 6 | Mark Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2023 | Feronily | 6 | Donagh Meyler | Emmet Mullins |
| 2024 | Spillane's Tower | 6 | Mark Walsh | Jimmy Mangan |
| 2025 | Champ Kiely | 9 | Danny Mullins | Willie Mullins |
- ^ The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- pedigreequery.com – Ellier Developments Champion Novice Chase – Punchestown.