The Eider Chase is National Hunt

National Hunt racing

National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...

 race in Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

. It is run at Newcastle Racecourse

Newcastle Racecourse

Newcastle Racecourse is a horse racing course located at Gosforth Park near Newcastle upon Tyne in England. It stages both flat and National Hunt racing, with its biggest meeting being the Northumberland Plate held annually in June.-History:...

 in February, over a distance of 4 miles and 1 furlong.

The race is seen as a trial for the Grand National

Grand National

The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...

, and Comply or Die

Comply or Die

Comply or Die is a British trained thoroughbred racehorse, owned by David Johnson. Ridden by Timmy Murphy and trained by David Pipe he was the winner of the £450,640 2008 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse, run on Saturday 5 April 2008...

 won both races in 2008. However, the 2004 winner, Tyneandthyneagain, was later killed at Aintree. The 2011 race was run in extremely heavy ground, with only two horses finishing.

Winners since 1995

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer
1995	Willsford Willsford Willsford was the oldest horse to win the Scottish Grand National and also won the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter in 1990.He was owned by Arnold Kaplan, Robert Johnson and David Johnson and trained by Jenny Pitman....	Peter Niven	Jenny Pitman Jenny Pitman Jenny Pitman is a former British racehorse trainer and author. She became the first woman to train a Grand National winner, when Corbiere won the race in 1983. She went on to win a second Grand National with Royal Athlete in 1995...
1996	Killeshin	Sean Curran	John Manners
1997	Seven Towers	Peter Niven	Mary Reveley
1998	Domaine de Pron	Robbie Supple	Lavinia Taylor
1999	Hollybank Buck	Francis Flood	Tony Martin
2000	Scotton Green	Lorcan Wyer	Tim Easterby Tim Easterby Tim Easterby is a British racehorse trainer based in North Yorkshire.TIM EASTERBY took over the famous Habton Grange stables in North Yorkshire from his father, Peter Easterby, in February 1996...
2001	Narrow Water	Adrian Maguire Adrian Maguire Adrian Maguire, born 29 April 1971 in Kilmessan, County Meath, Ireland, is a racehorse trainer and former jockey.Maguire began his career in Irish pony racing at the age of nine, in which he rode more than 200 winners. In 1990 he rode his first winner under rules, at Sligo, before his first victory...	Ferdy Murphy
2002	This Is Serious	Tony Dobbin Tony Dobbin Tony Dobbin is a retired Northern Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He rode the winner of the Grand National on Lord Gyllene in 1997 and won over 1,200 races during his career in the saddle. He was the regular stable jockey for Nicky Richards...	Charlie Swan
2003	no race 2003
2004	Tyneandthyneagain	Henry Oliver	Richard Guest
2005	no race 2005
2006	Philson Run	Graham Lee Graham Lee (jockey) Graham Lee is a successful Irish National Hunt jockey in Great Britain and Ireland. Prior to May 2006, he was the main stable jockey for Howard Johnson, but was replaced by Paddy Brennan, allegedly after a disagreement over his return from an injury. Lee became the main stable jockey and deputy...	Nick Williams
2007	Nil Desperandum	Tom Scudamore Tom Scudamore Tom Scudamore is a third-generation British flat and steeplechase jockey. He is the son of eight-time champion jockey Peter Scudamore; his grandfather Michael won the Grand National on Oxo in 1959.-Background:...	Venetia Williams Venetia Williams Venetia Williams is a British racehorse trainer specialising in National Hunt racing. She is based at stables at Aramstone in Herefordshire, England....
2008	Comply or Die Comply or Die Comply or Die is a British trained thoroughbred racehorse, owned by David Johnson. Ridden by Timmy Murphy and trained by David Pipe he was the winner of the £450,640 2008 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse, run on Saturday 5 April 2008...	Timmy Murphy Timmy Murphy Timothy James Murphy , commonly known as Timmy Murphy, is a National Hunt jockey who overcame difficult personal problems to win the 2008 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on the horse Comply or Die. He recorded his 1,000th winner at Taunton on 21 January 2010.- References :...	David Pipe David Pipe (racehorse trainer) The son of the prolific horseracing trainer Martin Pipe David Pipe is the trainer of the David Johnson owned Comply or Die, who ridden by Timmy Murphy won the 2008 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree racecourse....
2009	Merigo	Timmy Murphy Timmy Murphy Timothy James Murphy , commonly known as Timmy Murphy, is a National Hunt jockey who overcame difficult personal problems to win the 2008 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse on the horse Comply or Die. He recorded his 1,000th winner at Taunton on 21 January 2010.- References :...	Alan Parker
2011	Companero	Peter Buchanan	Howard Johnson