The Denman Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Newbury over a distance of about 2 miles and 7½ furlongs (2 miles 7 furlongs and 86 yards, or 4,706 metres), and during its running there are eighteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in February.
The event was originally named the Aon Chase, after its first sponsors Aon Group Ltd, and it was first run in 2000. It was promoted to Listed status in 2002, and to Grade 2 level in 2003. The planned running in 2009 was abandoned at Newbury because of snow, and so the race was switched to an alternative venue, Kempton Park. The rearranged event was titled the Levy Board Chase. In 2012 the sponsorship was taken over by Betfair and renamed the Denman Chase in honour of Denman, who won the race in 2008 and also won two Hennessy Gold Cups at Newbury.
The race serves as one of the principal trials for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March. Four horses have won both events in the same year – Kauto Star (2007), Denman (2008), Coneygree (2015) and Native River (2018).
Records
Most successful horse (3 wins): Native River – 2017, 2018, 2020
Leading jockey (4 wins): Richard Johnson – Shooting Light (2004), Farmer Jack (2005), Coneygree (2015), Native River (2018)
Leading trainer (10 wins): Paul Nicholls (horse racing) – See More Business (2000), Shotgun Willy (2001), Valley Henry (2003), Kauto Star (2007), Denman (2008), Tricky Trickster (2010), Noland (2011), Silvianaco Conti (2013), Clan Des Obeaux (2019), Secret Investor (2021)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 2000 See More Business 10 Mick Fitzgerald Paul Nicholls 2001 Shotgun Willy 7 Joe Tizzard Paul Nicholls 2002 Bacchanal 8 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson 2003 Valley Henry 8 Barry Geraghty Paul Nicholls 2004 Shooting Light 11 Richard Johnson Martin Pipe 2005 Farmer Jack 9 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2006 no race 2006 2007 Kauto Star 7 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2008 Denman 8 Sam Thomas Paul Nicholls 2009 Madison du Berlais 8 Tom Scudamore David Pipe 2010 Tricky Trickster 7 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2011 Noland 10 Tony McCoy Paul Nicholls 2012 Long Run 7 Sam Waley-Cohen Nicky Henderson 2013 Silviniaco Conti 7 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2014 Harry Topper 7 Jason Maguire Kim Bailey 2015 Coneygree 8 Richard Johnson Mark Bradstock 2016 Houblon des Obeaux 9 Aidan Coleman Venetia Williams 2017 Native River 7 Aidan Coleman Colin Tizzard 2018 Native River 8 Richard Johnson Colin Tizzard 2019 Clan Des Obeaux 7 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2020 Native River10 Jonjo O’Neill Jr Colin Tizzard 2021 Secret Investor 9 Bryony Frost Paul Nicholls 2022 Eldorado Allen 8 Brendan Powell Colin Tizzard 2023 Zanza 9 Tom O'Brien Philip Hobbs 2024 Shishkin 10 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2025 Djelo 7 Charlie Deutsch Venetia Williams 2026 Haiti Couleurs 9 Sean Bowen Rebecca Curtis
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Aon Chase – Newbury.
External links Race Recordings (1987-2004) youtube.com