The Dipper Novices' Chase was a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which was run annually from 1980 until 2023. In April of the latter year, the British Horseracing Authority announced the removal of the Dipper from the programme from the 2023/24 season onwards.
The race was open to novice chasers aged five years or older.
Before 2005 the event was usually run at Newcastle in mid January. Its distance at this venue was 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 metres), and there were sixteen fences to jump. Prior to the 1990–91 season it took place in November.
After 2005, it was scheduled to take place each year on New Year's Day on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs (2 miles 4 furlongs and 127 yards or 4,175 metres), and during its running there were seventeen fences to be jumped.
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer1980Little Owl6Jonjo O'NeillPeter Easterby1981Abandoned because of frost1982Rosewell Riever9Donal NolanPeter Monteith1983Lettoch6Graham BradleyMichael Dickinson1984Jimbrook7Alan BrownPeter Easterby1985Abandoned because of snow1986Joint Sovereignty6Mark DwyerJimmy FitzGerald 1987 Jim Thorpe 6 Phil Tuck Gordon W. Richards 1988 Cool Strike 7 Brian Storey George M. Moore 1989 Blazing Walker 5 Chris Grant Arthur Stephenson 1991 Meritmoore 8 Jason Callaghan George M. Moore 1992 Gale Again 5 Chris Grant Arthur Stephenson 1993 Dawson City 6 Lorcan Wyer Peter Easterby 1994Abandoned due to waterlogged state of course 1995 Morceli 7 Neale Doughty Howard Johnson 1996 Avro Anson 8 Peter Niven Maurice Camacho 1997Abandoned due to frost 1998 Celestial Choir 8 Brian Storey Les Eyre 1999 Bobby Grant 8 Robbie Supple Chris Grant 2000 Donnybrook 7 Brian Harding Bob Woodhouse 2001 Red Striker 7 Richard Guest Norman Mason 2002 Barton 9 Tony Dobbin Tim Easterby 2003 no race 2003–04 2005 My Will 5 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2006 The Listener 7 Andrew Thornton Robert Alner 2007 My Way de Solzen 7 Robert Thornton Alan King 2008 Lead On 7 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2009 Calgary Bay 6 Tony McCoy Henrietta Knight 2010 Seven Is My Number 8 Timmy Murphy David Pipe 2011 Hell's Bay 9 Joe Tizzard Colin Tizzard 2012 Champion Court 7 Alain Cawley Martin Keighley 2013 no race 2013 2014 Oscar Whisky 9 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2015 Ptit Zig 6 Sam Twiston-Davies Paul Nicholls 2016 Seeyouatmidnight 8 Brian Hughes Sandy Thomson 2017 Whisper 9 Davy Russell Nicky Henderson 2018 Yanworth 8 Barry Geraghty Alan King 2019 Lostintranslation 7 Robbie Power Colin Tizzard 2020 Midnight Shadow 7 Danny Cook Sue Smith 2021 Messire Des Obeaux 9 Daryl Jacob Alan King 2022 L'Homme Presse 7 Charlie Deutsch Venetia Williams 2023 The Real Whacker 7 Sam Twiston-Davies Patrick Neville
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Sources Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
pedigreequery.com – Dipper Novices' Chase – Cheltenham. bbc.co.uk – Haydock racing abandoned (4 January 2003). telegraph.co.uk – Weather forecast unfavourable (2 January 2004).