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 ), 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), and a handicap race over the same length. The new version was backed by Boylesports in 2009, and by Growise from 2010 to 2018.
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.
Records 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 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 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 2026 Western Fold 7 Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott
See also Horse racing in Ireland List of Irish National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , pedigreequery.com – Ellier Developments Champion Novice Chase – Punchestown.