The Swinley Chase is a National Hunt Premier Handicap handicap chase in England which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 3 miles (2 miles, 7 furlongs and 180 yards, or ), and during its running there are twenty fences to be jumped. It is scheduled to take place each year in February.
The race was first run in 2011, but it is effectively a reincarnation of the Whitbread Trial Handicap Chase (later the Crispin Handicap), which was first run in 1966 and last run in 1994. It is currently sponsored by Keltbray and prior to 2017 it was sponsored by Weatherbys and Applebee's. The race held Listed status until 2022 and was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Listed status was removed from handicap races.
Winners Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer 1966Highland Wedding910–12Owen McNallyToby Balding 1967 No race1968Regal John1010–11Josh GiffordRyan Price 1969 Abandoned because of frost 1970French Tan811-09Pat TaaffeA Watson (Ir) 1971The Laird1011-10Jeff KingBob Turnell 1972Prairie Dog810-01Barry BroganFulke Walwyn 1973Balinese811-01Andy TurnellBob Turnell 1974 Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course 1975Ten Up811–06Tommy CarberryJim Dreaper (Ir) 1976April Seventh1011-07Andy TurnellBob Turnell 1977Ghost Writer1011-05Bill SmithFulke Walwyn 1978 Abandoned because of frost 1979 Abandoned because of snow 1980Master Spy1110–11Tim Thomson JonesTim Forster 1981Aldaniti1111-07Bob ChampionJosh Gifford 1982Cavity Hunter910-03Robert EarnshawMichael Dickinson 1983 Abandoned because of frost1984Tracys Special710-05Steve KnightAndy Turnell1985Greenwood Lad810-06Richard RoweJosh Gifford1986Brunton Park810-04Graham BradleyMonica Dickinson1987Castle Warden1009-12Mark RichardsJohn Edwards 1988 Aquilifer 8 10-03 Paul Croucher David Murray Smith 1989 Proud Pilgrim 10 10-09 Mark Dwyer Jimmy FitzGerald 1990 Ten of Spades 10 10-00 Kevin Mooney Fulke Walwyn 1992 Combermere 8 10-10 Peter Scudamore Richard Frost 1993 Very Very Ordinary 7 11-03 Adrian Maguire John Upson 1994 Dubacilla 8 12-00 Dean Gallagher Henry Cole 1995–2010 No race 2011 Iconoclast 10 10-04 Paul Moloney A M Hales 2012 Massini's Maguire 11 10–13 Tom Scudamore David Pipe 2013 Vino Griego 8 11-03 Jamie Moore Gary Moore 2014 Restless Harry 10 10-07 Charlie Poste Robert Dickin 2015 Carole's Destrier 7 11-00 Barry Geraghty Neil Mulholland 2016 Sausalito Sunrise 8 11-10 Tom O'Brien Philip Hobbs 2017 Tenor Nivernais 10 11-07 Liam Treadwell Venetia Williams 2018 Regal Encore 10 11-05 Richie McLernon Anthony Honeyball 2019 Calipto 9 10-08 Charlie Deutsch Venetia Williams 2020 Ballyoptic 10 11-10 Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies 2021 Captain Chaos 10 10-09 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2022 Fortescue 8 10-07 Hugh Nugent Henry Daly 2023 Cap Du Nord 10 10-08 Jack Tudor Christian Williams 2024 Threeunderthrufive 9 12-00 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2025 Victtorino 7 11-07 Charlie Deutsch Venetia Williams 2026 Montregard 7 10-02 Jonathan Burke Tom Lacey
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Sources Racing Post , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,