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.

Grade 1 | 5yo+ novices | Wednesday 14.10
3 miles ½ furlong | 20 fences | Old Course
Weight: 11st (5yo) / 11st 4lb (6yo+) | Allowance: 7lb for mares
Prize money (2023): £178,480 | 1st: £102,095

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 two 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

16 of the last 17 winners had finished 1st or 2nd in a G1 or G2 chase
10 of the last 13 winners ran over hurdles at the previous year's Festival
9 of the last 9 winners were rated 150+
19 of the last 24 winners were aged 7
8 of the last 24 favourites won
Updated to include 2023 renewal

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

Both the 2022 and 2023 winners 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 CHASE ODDS

LAST 5 WINNERS’ DATA

YEAR
AGE
OFFICIAL RATING
WEIGHT
2023
7
153
11-7
2022
7
159
11-4
2021
7
164
11-4
2020
8
153
11-4
2019
7
155
11-4

RECENT WINNERS

YEAR
WINNER
JOCKEY / TRAINER
SP
2024
-
/
/
2023
The Real Whacker
Sam Twiston-Davies / Patrick Neville
8/1
2022
L'Homme Presse
Charlie Deutsch / Venetia Williams
9/4f
2021
Monkfish
Paul Townend / Willie Mullins
1/4f
2020
Champ
Barry Geraghty / Nicky Henderson
4/1
2019
Topofthegame
Harry Cobden / Paul Nicholls
4/1
2018
Presenting Percy
Davy Russell / Patrick G Kelly
5/2f
2017
Might Bite
Nico de Boinville / Nicky Henderson
7/2f
2016
Blaklion
Ryan Hatch / Nigel Twiston-Davies
8/1
2015
Don Poli
Bryan Cooper / Willie Mullins
13/8f
2014
O'Faolains Boy
Barry Geraghty / Rebecca Curtis
12/1
2013
Lord Windermere
Davy Russell / Jim Culloty
8/1
2012
Bobs Worth
Barry Geraghty / Nicky Henderson
9/2
2011
Bostons Angel
Robbie Power / Jessica Harrington
16/1
2010
Weapon's Amnesty
Davy Russell / Charles Byrnes
10/1
2009
Cooldine
Ruby Walsh / Willie Mullins
9/4f
2008
Albertas Run
Tony McCoy / Jonjo O'Neill
4/1f
2007
Denman
Ruby Walsh / Paul Nicholls
6/5f
2006
Star de Mohaison
Barry Geraghty / Paul Nicholls
14/1
2005
Trabolgan
Mick Fitzgerald / Nicky Henderson
5/1
2004
Rule Supreme
David Casey / Willie Mullins
25/1
2003
One Knight
Richard Johnson / Philip Hobbs
15/2
2002
Hussard Collonges
Russ Garritty / Peter Beaumont
33/1
2001

Festival Cancelled

2000
Lord Noelie
Jim Culloty / Henrietta Knight
9/2
Scoll down for previous Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase winners

The Real Whacker won a thriller in the 2023 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, just holding off the fast-finishing favourite Gerri Colombe.

It was a first Festival winner for trainer Patrick Neville and the first since 2016 for jockey Sam Twiston-Davies:

‘MY GOD IT FEELS LIKE A LONG WAY UP THE RUN-IN’

There was drama shortly before the 2022 renewal, with the ante-post favourite Bravemansgame 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:

‘ONE OF THE FINEST DISPLAYS OF JUMPING FROM A NOVICE EVER SEEN AT THE COURSE’

In 2021, 1/4 shot Monkfish, winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle 12 months earlier, survived a scare at the final fence.

Jockey Paul Townend had to use all of his experience to avoid a famous Cheltenham upset, to the relief of trainer Willie Mullins:

‘I DON’T WANT TO GO THOUGH THAT AGAIN - THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST NERVE-RACKING RACE I’VE EVER WATCHED’

There was a sensational renewal in 2020, as Champ ran down the two Irish raiders Minella Indo and Allaho.

Named in honour of 20-time champion jockey AP McCoy, the winner was galvinised by Barry Geraghty in a manner reminiscent of McCoy's famous win on Wicheta Lineman.

It was a fourth winner of this race for trainer Nicky Henderson, who had resigned himself to an honourable third place:

‘I WAS WATCHING THE FRONT TWO AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HE APPEARED IN THE PICTURE. I WAS THINKING, HOW HAS HE GOT HERE?’

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

Ridden by Harry Cobden, he produced a superb leap at the last and kept on gamely up the hill to give trainer Paul Nicholls his third success in the race:

‘THAT JUMP AT THE LAST SHOWED HOW MUCH ENERGY HE HAD LEFT IN THE TANK’

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

Cooldine 2009

Albertas Run 2008

Denman 2007

Star De Mohaison 2006

Trabolgan 2005

Rule Supreme 2004

One Knight 2003

Hussard Collonges 2002

Lord Noelie 2000

PREVIOUS WINNERS

YEAR
WINNER
JOCKEY / TRAINER
SP
1999
Looks Like Trouble
Paul Carberry / Noel Chance
16/1
1998
Florida Pearl
Richard Dunwoody / Willie Mullins
11/8f
1997
Hanakham
Richard Dunwoody / Ron Hodges
13/2
1996
Nahthen Lad
Warren Marston / Jenny Pitman
7/1
1995
Brief Gale
Philip Hide / Josh Gifford
13/2
1994
Monsieur Le Cure
Peter Niven / John Edwards
15/2
1993
Young Hustler
Peter Scudamore / Nigel Twiston-Davies
9/4
1992
Miinnehoma
Peter Scudamore / Martin Pipe
7/2f
1991
Rolling Ball
Peter Scudamore / Martin Pipe
7/2f
1990
Garrison Savannah
Ben de Haan / Jenny Pitman
12/1
1989
Envopak Token
Peter Hobbs / Josh Gifford
16/1
1988
The West Awake
Simon Sherwood / Oliver Sherwood
11/4f
1987
Kildimo
Graham Bradley / Toby Balding
13/2
1986
Cross Master
Reg Crank / Tom Bill
16/1
1985
Antarctic Bay
Frank Berry / Pat Hughes
6/4f
1984
A Kinsman
Geordie Dun / John Brockbank
10/1
1983
Canny Danny
Niall Madden / Jimmy FitzGerald
33/1
1982
Brown Chamberlin
John Francome / Fred Winter
7/1
1981
Lesley Ann
Colin Brown / David Elsworth
25/1
1980
Lacson
Steve Knight / Bob Hawker
16/1
1979
Master Smudge
Richard Hoare / Arthur Barrow
16/1
1978
Sweet Joe
Steve Smith Eccles / Harry Thomson Jones
12/1
1977
Gay Spartan
Michael Dickinson / Tony Dickinson
13/2
1976
Tied Cottage
Tommy Carberry /  Dan Moore
12/1
1975*
Pengrail
John Francome / Fred Winter
12/1
1974
Ten Up
Tommy Carberry / Jim Dreaper
7/2
1973
Killiney
Richard Pitman / Fred Winter
8/15f
1972
Clever Scot
David Mould / Harry Thomson Jones
11/1
1971
Tantalum
David Nicholson / Michael Pope
14/1
1970
Proud Tarquin
Pat Taaffe / Tom Dreaper
100/7
1969
Spanish Steps
John Cook / Edward Courage
100/8
1968
Herring Gull
John Crowley / Paddy Mullins
9/1
1967
Border Jet
Josh Gifford / Ryan Price
4/1f
1966
Different Class
David Mould / Peter Cazalet
10/1
1965
Arkloin
Liam McLoughlin / Tom Dreaper
100/7
1964
Buona Notte
Johnny Haine / Bob Turnell
11/8f
1963
Arkle
Pat Taaffe / Tom Dreaper
4/9f
1962
Caduval
Laurie Morgan / Bogden Lubecki
11/2
1961
Grallagh Cnoc
Pat Taaffe / Joe Osbourne
8/13f
1960
Solfen
Pat Taaffe / Willie O'Grady
5/4f
1959
Mac Joy
Arthur Freeman / Ken Bailey
4/1
1958
Just Awake
Arthur Freeman / Peter Cazalet
100/7
1957
Mandarin
Michael Scudamore / Fulke Walwyn
8/1
1956
Polar Flight
Tommy Cusack / George Spann
100/7
1955
Great Eliza
B. Cooper / Danny Morgan
7/2f
1954
Glenbeigh
Dave Dick / Fulke Walwyn
Evensf
1953
Coneyburrow
Pat Taaffe / Joe Osbourne
100/8
1952
Good And Plenty
Jimmy Power / Jack Fawcus
8/1
1951*
On View
Bryan Marshall / Fulke Walwyn
8/1
1950†
Arctic Gold
Glen Kelly / Gerald Balding
100/30
1950‡
Manicou
Lord Mildmay / Peter Cazalet
2/1f
1949†
Comeragh
P.J Kelly / Noel Furlong
10/1
1949‡
Glen Fire
John Spencer / Syd Mercer
100/8
1948†
Mountain Prince
Bryan Marshall / Fulke Walwyn
100/8
1948‡
Blakely Grove
Joe Maguire / Ivor Anthony
5/4f
1947

No Race

1946
Birthlaw
Ted Vinall / Tommy Rayson
20/1


No Race (1942-1945)

1941
Decorated
Ben Lay / Alec Kilpatrick
8/1
1940
Iceberg II**
Frenchie Nicholson / Reg Hobbs
7/1
1939
Roman Hackle
George Archibald / Owen Anthony
5/2f
1938
Koppernigk
Thomas F. Carey / George Beeby
7/1
1937

No Race

1936
Prominent Lad
Hywell Jones / Jack Anthony
9/1
1935
Santick
Perry Harding / Nancy Moon***
10/1
1934
Latest Joke
Danny Morgan / Tom Leader
100/8
1933
Swan Upping
George Owen / Pat Dennis
7/1
1932
The Brown Talisman
Daniel McCann / Morgan Blair
8/1
1931

No Race

1930
Swift Rowland
Ted Leader / Ted Leader
9/2
1929
Gallant Lover
Tommy Cullinan / Aubrey Hastings
10/1
1928
Kepi Amarante
Dick Rees / Gilbert Bennett
7/4f
1927
Ardoon's Pride
Jack Anthony / Aubrey Hastings
10/1
1926
Desert Chief
W. Madden / Ted Leader
5/1
1925
Uncle Jack
Bilbie Rees / George Poole
5/1
1924
Square Meal
Tony Escott / Tom Coulthwaite
6/5f
1923
Love Letter
F. Mason / Bertram Bullock
100/8
1922
Victor Noir
Herbert Smyth / Herbert Smyth
10/1
1921
Habton
G. Smith / Frank Hartigan
11/8f
All Festival Novices' Chase winners prior to 2000

* Run at April meeting
** Golden Knight finished first in 1940 but an objection was sustained (swerved after jumping the last fence)
*** The winning trainer was recorded at the time as J. Delaney who held the license to train for Mrs Moon as women were 'not permitted to hold licenses under rules'

Originally called the Broadway Novices' Chase, the race was split into two divisions from 1948-50: ‡ Division 1, † Division 2

From 1964-73 the race was sponsored by the Tote and called the Totalisator Champion Novices' Chase.

Looks Like Trouble 1999

Florida Pearl 1998

Hanakham 1997

Nahthen Lad 1996

Brief Gale 1995

Monsieur Le Cure 1994

Young Hustler 1993

Miinnehoma 1992

Rolling Ball 1991

Garrison Savannah 1990

Envopak Token 1989

BROWN ADVISORY NOVICES’ CHASE FAQ’s