Celebration Chase

The Celebration Chase is a Grade One National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 1 mile 7½ furlongs (1 mile, 7 furlongs and 119 yards, or 3,126 metres), and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in late April.

Celebration Chase
Grade One race
LocationSandown Park
Esher, England
Inaugurated2001
Race typeSteeplechase
SponsorBet365
WebsiteSandown Park
Race information
Distance1m 7f 119yd (3,126 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationFive-years-old and up
Weight11 st 7 lb
Allowances
7 lb for mares
Purse£115,000 (2021)
1st: £65,493
Celebration Chase
2023
Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap Beige, royal blue triple diamond, diamonds on sleeves, striped cap Pink, large purple spots, hooped sleeves
Jonbon Captain Guinness Greaneteen
Previous years
2022
Pink, large purple spots, hooped sleeves Emerald green, dark green sleeves, dark green and emerald green quartered cap White, red stripe
Greaneteen Sceau Royal Nube Negra
2021
Pink, large purple spots, hooped sleeves Black, dark green and grey striped sleeves Emerald green, dark green sleeves, dark green and emerald green quartered cap
Greaneteen Altior Sceau Royal
2020-2011
2019
Black, dark green and grey striped sleeves Emerald green, dark green sleeves, dark green and emerald green quartered cap Light blue, royal blue star, white and royal blue check sleeves and cap
Altior Sceau Royal God's Own
2018
Black, dark green and grey striped sleeves Royal blue, white chevron, hooped sleeves, white cap Light blue, royal blue star, white and royal blue check sleeves and cap
Altior San Benedeto God's Own
2017
Black, dark green and grey striped sleeves Royal blue, white stars, red and white striped sleeves, white cap, royal blue stars Royal blue, white chevron, hooped sleeves, white cap
Altior Special Tiara San Benedeto
2016
Red, royal blue chevrons, armlets and star on cap Light blue, orange star, light blue sleeves, orange stars, light blue cap, orange star Red, emerald green cross of lorraine and sleeves
Sprinter Sacre Un De Sceaux Dodging Bullets
2015
Royal blue, white stars, red and white striped sleeves, white cap, royal blue stars Red, royal blue chevrons, armlets and star on cap Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap
Special Tiara Sprinter Sacre Mr Mole
2014
Red, royal blue stripe, red sleeves, white stars, red cap, white star Dark green and yellow stripes, yellow sleeves and cap Royal blue, white stars, red and white striped sleeves, white cap, royal blue stars
Sire De Grugy Pepite Rose Special Tiara
2013
Red, royal blue stripe, red sleeves, white stars, red cap, white star White, black cap Dark blue, light blue hoop, checked sleeves and cap
Sire De Grugy Finian's Rainbow Wishfull Thinking
2012
Red, pink epaulets Dark green, maroon stars, maroon cap Black, white hoops and sleeves, hooped cap
Sanctuaire Somersby Dan Breen
2011
Dark blue, emerald green hoop, quartered cap Light blue, orange epaulets Purple, yellow chevrons, purple sleeves, yellow cap, purple star
French Opera Chaninbar Cornas
2010-2001
2010
Light blue, pink chevrons, light blue sleeves, light blue cap, pink star Yellow, black chevron, check cap Orange and royal blue check, royal blue sleeves, royal blue cap, orange star
I'm So Lucky Oiseau de Nuit Twist Magic
2009
Orange and royal blue check, royal blue sleeves, royal blue cap, orange star Red and white (quartered), red sleeves White, emerald green chevron, royal blue sleeves and cap
Twist Magic Kalahari King Mahogany Blaze
2008
Emerald green and yellow (quartered), white sleeves and cap Red, White chevron, hooped sleeves and cap Yellow, White diamonds, White sleeves, Yellow cap, White diamonds
Andreas Lord Henry Fiepes Shuffle
2007
dark blue, pink sash, pink sleeves, dark blue armlets, dark blue cap with pink spots Black and white (halved), red sleeves and cap Brown, red stars, brown sleeves, red cap, brown star
Dempsey Hoo La Baloo Tysou
2006
Royal blue, white stars, red and white striped sleeves, white cap, royal blue stars Yellow, blue star and armlets, star on cap Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots
River City Nyrche Contraband
2005
Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots YELLOW, Red star, Yellow sleeves and White armlet, Yellow cap and Red star Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots
Well Chief Azertyuiop Contraband
2004
Black and white (halved), red sleeves and cap Light blue and maroon stripes, light blue sleeves, hooped cap Light blue, red cross belts, red cap
Cenkos Impek Got One Too
2003
White, blue star on cap Black and white (halved), red sleeves and cap Royal blue, emerald green sleeves, white cap, emerald green spots
Seebald Cenkos Wahiba Sands
2002
Black and white (halved), red sleeves and cap Red and white stipes, dark blue sleeves, white stars, dark blue cap, white stars Light blue and maroon stripes, light blue sleeves, hooped cap
Cenkos Flagship Uberalles Edredon Bleu
2001
Light blue and maroon stripes, light blue sleeves, hooped cap Mauve and pink check, white sleeves, pink cap Orange and dark blue (halved), orange sleeves, blue armlets, striped cap
Edredon Bleu Fadalko Desert Mountain
 

History

The event has its origins in 2001, when the Cheltenham Festival was cancelled due to a foot-and-mouth crisis. Replacements for some of the Festival's races were held at Sandown in late April, and the equivalent of the Queen Mother Champion Chase was a Grade 1 event called the Championship Chase.

The following year the race returned as the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Celebration Chase, in memory of the Queen Mother (1900–2002), who frequently attended racing at Sandown. The event was downgraded to Class B level, but it continued to attract high quality chasers. It was promoted to Grade Two status in 2005, and at this point its title was shortened to the Celebration Chase.

The race is currently sponsored by Bet365, and it takes place at a meeting which features both jump and flat races. Other events at this meeting include the Bet365 Gold Cup, the Gordon Richards Stakes and the Sandown Mile. The Celebration Chase was upgraded to Grade One by the British Horseracing Board from its 2014 running.[1]

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):

Leading jockey (4 wins):

Leading trainer (7 wins):

  • Paul Nicholls – Cenkos (2002, 2004), Andreas (2008), Twist Magic (2009), Sanctuaire (2012), Greaneteen (2021,2022)

Winners
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
2001 Edredon Bleu 9 Tony McCoy Henrietta Knight
2002 Cenkos 8 Barry Geraghty Paul Nicholls
2003 Seebald 8 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
2004 Cenkos 10 Barry Geraghty Paul Nicholls
2005 Well Chief 6 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe
2006 River City 9 Tom Doyle Noel Chance
2007 Dempsey 9 Timmy Murphy Carl Llewellyn
2008 Andreas 8 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2009 Twist Magic 7 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2010 I'm So Lucky 8 Tom Scudamore David Pipe
2011 French Opera 8 Tony McCoy Nicky Henderson
2012 Sanctuaire 6 Daryl Jacob Paul Nicholls
2013 Sire De Grugy 7 Jamie Moore Gary Moore
2014 Sire De Grugy 8 Jamie Moore Gary Moore
2015 Special Tiara 8 Noel Fehily Henry De Bromhead
2016 Sprinter Sacre 10 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
2017 Altior 7 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
2018 Altior 8 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
2019 Altior 9 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
no race 2020 [lower-alpha 1]
2021 Greaneteen 7 Bryony Frost Paul Nicholls
2022 Greaneteen 8 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls
2023 Jonbon 7 Aidan Coleman Nicky Henderson
  1. The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[2]

See also

References
  1. "British Horseracing Authority Announces Upgrades to Jump Pattern Races for 2013/14". Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  2. "Coronavirus: Horse racing in Great Britain suspended until end of April". BBC Sport. 17 March 2020.
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