Future Champions Novices’ Chase

A top-quality Grade 2 race, the Future Champion Novices’ Chase is part of Ayr’s yearly Scottish Grand National Festival in early to mid-April, this race being run on the second and final day as a superb prelude to the big race itself.

Staged over a trip of just over 2½ miles, the Future Champion Novices’ features 17 fences and is considered one of the top novice races of the season, despite coming in the aftermath of the Cheltenham Festival the previous month.

Previously run over two miles and occasionally at Grade One level, the race has now settled to its current format with all runners carrying 11st, being of five years of age or older with a prize fund of £45,000.

Notable winners of the race over the years include Chorus, Night Nurse, Rajdhani Express and Monet’s Garden, who is well known as the only triple winner of the Old Roan Chase at Aintree.