The Ryanair Novice Chase is a Grade 1 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...

 chase in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 which is open to horses

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown

Punchestown Racecourse

Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland. It is home of the National Hunt Festival of Ireland....

 over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are eleven fences to be jumped. The race is for novice

Novice (racehorse)

A novice in National Hunt horse racing is a horse which has not won in a particular type of race prior to the start of the current season. A novice hurdler has not won a hurdle race before the start of the current season, while a novice chaser has not won a steeplechase before the start of the...

 chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.

During the 1990s the event was sponsored by the Bank of Ireland

Bank of Ireland

The Bank of Ireland is a commercial bank operation in Ireland, which is one of the 'Big Four' in both parts of the island.Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the Bank occupies a unique position in Irish banking history...

 and Tripleprint. It was promoted to Grade 1 status in 1998, and its sponsorship was taken over by Swordlestown Stud in 2000. The present sponsor, Ryanair

Ryanair

Ryanair is an Irish low-cost airline. Its head office is at Dublin Airport and its primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport....

, began supporting the race in 2010.

The field usually includes horses which ran previously in the Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham

Cheltenham Racecourse

Cheltenham Racecourse is a racecourse for horse racing events, located at Prestbury Park, in the suburban village of Prestbury on the outskirts of the English town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire...

, and the last to win both races was Captain Chris in 2011.

Records

Leading jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

 since 1992 (2 wins):

• Richard Dunwoody
  Richard Dunwoody
  Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider...
  
   – Viking Flagship (1993), Ventana Canyon (1996)
• Conor O'Dwyer – Strong Platinum (1995), War of Attrition (2005)
• David Casey – Alcapone (2001), Barker (2009)
• Barry Geraghty
  Barry Geraghty
  Barry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...
  
   – Moscow Flyer (2002), Big Zeb (2008)
• John Cullen – Say Again (2004), Accordion Etoile (2006)

----
Leading trainer

Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

 since 1992 (2 wins):

• Jessica Harrington – Oh So Grumpy (1994), Moscow Flyer (2002)
• Mouse Morris
  Mouse Morris
  Michael 'Mouse' Morris is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey.As a jockey he rode Skymas to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1976 and 1977 and Billycan to win the 1977 Irish Grand National, while his most notable successes as a trainer have come with Buck House in the 1983 Supreme...
  
   – Alcapone (2001), War of Attrition (2005)
• Paul Nolan – Say Again (2004), Accordion Etoile (2006)

Winners since 1992

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer
1992	Classical Charm	9	Ken Morgan	Al O'Connell
1993	Viking Flagship Viking Flagship Viking Flagship was an Irish racehorse who began his racing career in October 1989 as 2 year old. He was first trained by his breeder Eithne C Holdsworth in Co...	6	Richard Dunwoody Richard Dunwoody Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider...	David Nicholson David Nicholson (horse racing) David Nicholson was a British National Hunt jockey and trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Trainer in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons....
1994	Oh So Grumpy	6	Jamie Osborne Jamie Osborne Jamie Osborne is a jockey and race horse trainer. Born 28 August 1967 he rode his first winner in March 1986 and in 1999 obtained his trainers licence. Once a favourite of the Queen Mother, he was acquitted of race fixing in 1998.-References:...	Jessica Harrington
1995	Strong Platinum	7	Conor O'Dwyer	Paddy Burke
1996	Ventana Canyon	7	Richard Dunwoody Richard Dunwoody Thomas Richard Dunwoody MBE is a retired British jockey in National Hunt racing. He was a three-time Champion Jockey, riding 1699 British winners in his career. His father was a leading Point to Point rider...	Edward O'Grady
1997	Jeffell	7	Francis Woods	Arthur Moore
1998	Direct Route	7	Paul Carberry Paul Carberry Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers...	Howard Johnson
1999	Sydney Twothousand	9	Norman Williamson Norman Williamson Norman Williamson is a professional jockey in the Irish National Hunt.- References :...	Noel Meade Noel Meade Noel Meade is a famous horse trainer from Ireland. He established Tu Va Stables in Co. Meath, Ireland as a place to train his horses.Meade began his career as a horse trainer in 1971, but it was not until 1978 that Meade started to become well recognized. Sweet Mint, winner of the Cork and Orrery...
2000	Tiutchev Tiutchev (horse) Tiutchev was an English racehorse who started his racing career as a Flat horse for trainer Roger Charlton. He made his debut in September 1996 in a Haydock maiden, where he finished 6th...	7	Mick Fitzgerald Mick Fitzgerald Mick Fitzgerald is an Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He has ridden the winners of the Grand National, on Rough Quest in 1996, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on See More Business in 1999. He was the stable jockey for Nicky Henderson and was leading jockey at the...	Nicky Henderson Nicky Henderson Nicky Henderson is a British racehorse trainer. He has been British jump racing Champion Trainer twice.Henderson, educated at Eton College, has been a trainer since 1978, based at Seven Barrows near Lambourn, Berkshire...
2001	Alcapone	7	David Casey	Mouse Morris Mouse Morris Michael 'Mouse' Morris is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey.As a jockey he rode Skymas to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1976 and 1977 and Billycan to win the 1977 Irish Grand National, while his most notable successes as a trainer have come with Buck House in the 1983 Supreme...
2002	Moscow Flyer Moscow Flyer Moscow Flyer was a top-class National Hunt horse over distances between 2 miles and 2½ miles . He won the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2003 and 2005, the Tingle Creek Chase in 2003 and 2004 and the Arkle Challenge Trophy in 2002...	8	Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...	Jessica Harrington
2003	Le Roi Miguel	5	Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh Ruby Walsh is the reigning Irish National Hunt champion jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen.-Success:...	Paul Nicholls Paul Nicholls (horse racing) Paul Nicholls is a British National Hunt horse trainer with stables at Ditcheat, Somerset. A relatively successful jump jockey, Nicholls has become the leading National Hunt trainer of his generation, finishing the 2007-2008 season with 155 winners and a record £4 million in prize money...
2004	Say Again	8	John Cullen	Paul Nolan
2005	War of Attrition War Of Attrition (horse) War Of Attrition is a National Hunt racehorse and winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2006....	6	Conor O'Dwyer	Mouse Morris Mouse Morris Michael 'Mouse' Morris is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey.As a jockey he rode Skymas to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1976 and 1977 and Billycan to win the 1977 Irish Grand National, while his most notable successes as a trainer have come with Buck House in the 1983 Supreme...
2006	Accordion Etoile	7	John Cullen	Paul Nolan
2007	Another Promise	8	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...	Ferdy Murphy
2008	Big Zeb	7	Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...	Colm Murphy
2009	Barker	8	David Casey	Willie Mullins Willie Mullins Willie Mullins is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is based at Closutton, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, Ireland...
2010	Captain Cee Bee	9	Tony McCoy Tony McCoy Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey....	Eddie Harty
2011	Captain Chris	7	Richard Johnson Richard Johnson (jockey) Richard Johnson is an English National Hunt jockey.-Background:Johnson comes from a racing family with his father being an amateur jockey and his mother, Sue Johnson, a successful trainer.-Jockey career:...	Philip Hobbs Philip Hobbs Philip Hobbs is a British racehorse trainer specializing mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables near Minehead, Somerset....

The 2001 running took place at Fairyhouse

Fairyhouse Racecourse

Fairyhouse Racecourse is one of Ireland's premier horse racing venues. Situated in the parish of Ratoath in County Meath, on the R155 regional road, 3 km off the N3. It is the home of the Irish Grand National. The first race meet was held in 1848...

.