BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES’ CHASE

The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase is better known to many as the RSA Chase or the Sun Alliance Chase. 

RSA Insurance (formerly Sun Alliance), sponsored the race from 1974 until 2020.

Originally the Broadway Novices’ Chase, its outstanding roll of honour features future Gold Cup winners including the great Arkle, plus Grand National hero Minnehoma.

It is frequently referred to as the Gold Cup for novice chasers being run, as it is, over a distance of just over 3 miles. But, unlike the Gold Cup, it's run on the Old Course. 

The race has certainly been a natural stepping stone to the blue-riband event.

The last horse to complete the double was Lord Windermere, in 2013 and 2014 - after the likes of Denman and Bob's Worth

Minello Indo finished second in 2020 before winning the Gold Cup in 2021, while dual Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo fell two out while still in contention in 2018.

Don Cossack also fell in this race, in 2014, before winning the Gold Cup 2 years later.

Smaller fields tend to go to post nowadays since the introduction of the Turners Chase - which gives trainers the option of running their star novices over a shorter trip.

BROWN ADVISORY CHASE TRENDS

Graded form coming into this novices' chase appears to be essential, while course form is another strong pointer.

2022 winner, L'Homme Presse, had won The Dipper Novices' Chase at Cheltenham's New Year's Day meeting.

And the four previous Brown Advisory Chase winners had all finished either first or second over hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival 12 months earlier.

Willie Mullins has trained a record five winners - one more than Nicky Henderson.

BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES’ CHASE 2024 ODDS

LAST 5 WINNERS’ DATA

RECENT WINNERS

The Real Whacker 2023

The Real Whacker - Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase 2023#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/m0MUPowaog

— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) July 18, 2023

There was drama shortly before the 2022 Brown Advisory Chase, as ante-post favourite Bravemansgame was pulled out by Paul Nicholls owing to the increasingly soft ground.

But the conditions did nothing to thwart L’Homme Presse, who gave jockey Charlie Deutsch his first Festival success with what the Racing Post described as:

Monkfish, winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle 12 months earlier, survived a scare at the final fence in 2021:

A remarkable renewal in 2020 as Champ ran down the two Irish raiders Minella Indo and Allaho in an astonishing last furlong.

Topofthegame, second in the Coral Cup under a big weight the previous year, beat Santini and Delta Work in a pulsating finish in 2019.

Presenting Percy followed up his victory in the Pertemps Final 12 months earlier, with a comfortable win in 2018:

One of the most memorable finishes in Festival history took place in 2017, as Might Bite rallied to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against his stablemate Whisper.

Blaklion provided local trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies with a first RSA Chase win in 2016.

Don Poli 2015

O'Faolains Boy 2014

Lord Windermere 2013

Bobs Worth 2012

Bostons Angel 2011

Weapon's Amnesty 2010

Denman 2007

PREVIOUS WINNERS

BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES’ CHASE FAQ’s