Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase

Described by the ‘Racing Post’ as “the novices’ equivalent of the Cheltenham Gold Cup”, the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase is run over an extended three miles on the Old Course at Cheltenham, where it is currently scheduled as the second race on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival in March. Officially registered as the Broadway Novices’ Chase, but sponsored, since 2021, by investment firm Brown Advisory and breeding and racing operation Merriebelle Stable, the race is a Grade 1 contest, open to novice steeplechasers aged five years and upwards and currently worth £200,000 in total prize money.

The indomitable Willie Mullins – far and away the most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival – is also the leading trainer in the history of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase with seven winners, namely, Florida Pearl (1998), Rule Supreme (2004), Cooldine (2009), Don Poli (2015), Monkfish (2021), Fact To File (2024) and Lecky Watson (2025). The late Pat Taaffe, who numbered Coneyburrow (1953), Solfen (1960), Grallagh Cnoc (1961), Arkle (1963), and Proud Tarquin (1970) among his 25 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, remains the leading jockey in the history of the race.

The aforementioned Arkle, of course, went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, itself, in 1963, 1964 and 1965. More recently, Denman (2007), Bobs Worth (2012) and Lord Windermere (2013) all followed up in the ‘Blue Riband’ event the season after winning what is now the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase. From a statistics perspective, punters may be interested to know that, at the time of writing, eight of the last winners were seven-year-olds and five of them were sent off favourite.