The Winter Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 2 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...

 hurdle race

Hurdling (horse race)

A Hurdle race in England is a National Hunt horse race where the horses jump over obstacles called hurdles that are over three and a half feet high. They are typically made of brush, that has some flexability. Hurdle races always have a minimum of eight hurdles and a minimum distance of two miles ....

 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...

 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 four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles and 4½ furlongs (4,124 metres), and during its running there are nine hurdles 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...

 hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in early December.

Between 1992 and 1999 the distance of the race was 2 miles and 6 furlongs, and prior to 1992 it was run over 2 miles 5 furlongs and 75 yards. The only winner to subsequently win the championship event in this division is Barton, who won the 1999 Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle.

Winners since 1987

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer
1987	Slalom	6	John White	Michael Robinson
1988	Man on the Line	5	Peter Scudamore Peter Scudamore Peter Scudamore , known universally as 'Scu', is a former jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was an eight-time Champion Jockey , riding 1,678 winners in his career...	Reg Akehurst
1989	no race 1989
1990	Tyrone Bridge	4	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...	Martin Pipe Martin Pipe Martin Pipe was a racehorse trainer until his retirement in April 2006.The son of a West-Country bookmaker, Pipe was an amateur jockey before turning his attention to training in 1974 at Nicholashayne, Devon, near Wellington, England....
1991	Arabian Sultan	4	Peter Scudamore Peter Scudamore Peter Scudamore , known universally as 'Scu', is a former jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was an eight-time Champion Jockey , riding 1,678 winners in his career...	Martin Pipe Martin Pipe Martin Pipe was a racehorse trainer until his retirement in April 2006.The son of a West-Country bookmaker, Pipe was an amateur jockey before turning his attention to training in 1974 at Nicholashayne, Devon, near Wellington, England....
1992	Glen Lochan	7	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:...	Henrietta Knight
1993	Top Spin	4	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...	John Jenkins
1994	Roberty Lea	6	Peter Niven	Mary Reveley
1995	See More Business See More Business See More Business was a top-class National Hunt chaser in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He won the 1999 Cheltenham Gold Cup as well as the 1997 and 1999 King George VI Chase. He was trained by Paul Nicholls and ridden by Mick Fitzgerald in two of those races...	5	Tony McCoy Tony McCoy Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey....	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...
1996	Yahmi	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:...	Jim Old
1997	Song of the Sword	4	Graham Bradley	Jim Old
1998	Barton	5	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...
1999	What's Up Boys	5	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....
2000	no race 2000
2001	Rouble	5	Leighton Aspell	Josh Gifford Josh Gifford Josh Gifford is a former jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was a four-time Champion Jockey, riding 642 winners in his career....
2002	Coolnagorna	5	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...	Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill is an Irish National Hunt racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is a native of Castletownroche, County Cork in Ireland. Based at the Jackdaws Castle training establishment in England, O'Neill is the private trainer to J. P. McManus, one of the largest owners of steeplechasers and...
2003	Inglis Drever Inglis Drever Inglis Drever was a champion racehorse trained in the North of England by Howard Johnson. He was one of the most successful hurdle racing horses to date and the only horse to have won the World Hurdle three times...	4	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...	Howard Johnson
2004	Ladalko	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...
2005	Neptune Collonges Neptune Collonges Neptune Collonges is an French Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Dom Alco and dam, Castille Collonges. He is owned by John Hales and is trained by Paul Nicholls...	4	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...	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...
2006	Labelthou	7	Barry Fenton	Emma Lavelle
2007	Lightning Strike Lightning strike Lightning strikes are electrical discharges caused by lightning, typically during thunderstorms.Humans can be hit by lightning directly when outdoors. Contrary to popular notion, there is no 'safe' location outdoors. People have been struck in sheds and makeshift shelters...	4	Tony McCoy Tony McCoy Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey....	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	Junior	5	Robert Thornton Robert Thornton (jockey) Robert "Choc" Thornton is an English National Hunt jockey currently employed as stable jockey to Alan King....	Alan King Alan King (horse racing) Alan King is a British racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at Barbury Castle stables near Wroughton, Wiltshire....
2009	Manyriverstocross	4	Wayne Hutchinson	Alan King Alan King (horse racing) Alan King is a British racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at Barbury Castle stables near Wroughton, Wiltshire....
1989	no race 2010

The 1989 race was abandoned due to frost.
The 2010 race was abandoned due to snow.