The Worcester Novices' Chase, later run as the John Francome Novices' Chase, was a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It was 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 were eighteen fences to be jumped. The race was for novice chasers, and it was scheduled to take place each year in late November or early December.
The race was first run in 1990 and was originally held at Worcester, where it was contested over distances of up to 2 miles and 7½ furlongs and run as the Worcester Novices' Chase. It was transferred to Newbury and extended to its later length in 2000.
In 2017 the race was renamed in honour of John Francome, with the press release explaining that the race "was transferred from Worcester racecourse 17 years ago, so the geographical connection with the Pitchcroft is no longer relevant."
In April 2023 the British Horseracing Authority announced the removal of the race from the 2023/24 programme. The race name was reallocated to another novice chase run at the same meeting and previously titled the Berkshire Novices' Chase.
Records Leading jockey (4 wins): Harry Cobden - Elegant Escape (2017), Danny Whizzbang (2019), Next Destination (2020), McFabulous (2022)
Leading trainer (11 wins): Paul Nicholls – See More Indians (1993), Ottowa (1997), Shotgun Willy (2000), Valley Henry (2001), Cornish Rebel (2004), Michel Le Bon (2009), Aiteen Thirtythree (2010), Just A Par (2013), Danny Whizzbang (2019), Next Destination (2020), McFabulous (2022)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1990 Killbanon 8 Simon Earle Chris Trietline 1991 Captain Dibble 6 Peter Scudamore Nigel Twiston-Davies 1992 Barton Bank 6 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson 1993 See More Indians 6 Graham Bradley Paul Nicholls 1994Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course 1995 Betty's Boy 6 Richard Dunwoody Kim Bailey 1996 Pleasure Shared 8 Chris Maude Philip Hobbs 1997 Ottowa 7 Timmy Murphy Paul Nicholls 1998 Ocean Hawk 6 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies 1999 Connor Macleod 6 Norman Williamson Mark Pitman 2000 Shotgun Willy 6 Joe Tizzard Paul Nicholls 2001 Valley Henry 6 Timmy Murphy Paul Nicholls 2002 Lucky Bay 6 Jim Culloty Henrietta Knight 2003 Ballycassidy 7 Richard Johnson Peter Bowen 2004 Cornish Rebel 7 Tony McCoy Paul Nicholls 2005 Darkness 6 Barry Fenton Charles Egerton 2006 Boychuk 5 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2007 Joe Lively 8 Joe Tizzard Colin Tizzard 2008Gone to Lunch 8 Tony McCoy Jeremy Scott 2009 Michel Le Bon 6 Tony McCoy Paul Nicholls 2010 Aiteen Thirtythree 6 Noel Fehily Paul Nicholls 2011 Grands Crus 6 Tom Scudamore David Pipe 2012 Harry Topper 5 Timmy Murphy Kim Bailey 2013 Just A Par 6 Daryl Jacob Paul Nicholls 2014 Carraig Mor 6 Noel Fehily Alan King 2015 Native River 5 Brendan Powell Colin Tizzard 2016 Thistlecrack 8 Tom Scudamore Colin Tizzard 2017 Elegant Escape 5 Harry Cobden Colin Tizzard 2018 Santini 6 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2019 Danny Whizzbang 6 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2020 Next Destination 8 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2021 Ahoy Senor 6 Derek Fox Lucinda Russell 2022 McFabulous 8 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Worcester Novices' Chase – Newbury.