The Towton Novices' Chase 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...

 chase 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 five years or older. It is run at Wetherby

Wetherby Racecourse

Wetherby Racecourse is a National Hunt racecourse situated near the market town of Wetherby in West Yorkshire, England, located from Leeds city centre.-Location:...

 over a distance of about 3 miles and 1 furlong (5,029 metres), and during its running there are eighteen 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 in late January or early February.

The event is named after the village of Towton

Towton

Towton is a small village and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England.The village is best known for the Battle of Towton, fought in 1461, during the Wars of the Roses....

, which is located several miles to the south of Wetherby. It was first run in 1996, and the inaugural winner, Mr Mulligan, went on to win the following year's Cheltenham Gold Cup

Cheltenham Gold Cup

The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...

.

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer
1996	Mr Mulligan	8	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:...	Noel Chance Noel Chance Noel Chance is an Irish racehorse trainer based at Upper Lambourn, Berkshire.He has trained two winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Mr Mulligan in 1997 and Looks Like Trouble in 2000.-References:*...
1997	no race 1997
1998	Escartefigue	6	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:...	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....
1999	Kadou Nonantais	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:...	Oliver Sherwood
2000	Arctic Camper	8	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...	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....
2001	no race 2001–02
2003	Keen Leader	7	Liam Cooper	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...
2004	Royal Emperor	8	Dominic Elsworth	Sue Smith
2005	Ollie Magern	7	Carl Llewellyn	Nigel Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies is a British racehorse trainer specialising in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables at Naunton, Gloucestershire....
2006	Halcon Genelardais	6	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....
2007	Heltornic	7	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...	Michael Scudamore
2008	no race 2008
2009	Kornati Kid	7	Tom O'Brien Tom O'Brien (jockey) Tom O'Brien is an Irish jockey.Son of Wexford-born Jim O'Brien, O'Brien began his career in racing riding out for his uncle, shay slevin in wexford before starting to ride out for uncle Aidan O'Brien where he rode legendary horses such as High Chaparral and Rock of Gibraltar.After riding in...	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....
2010	Weird Al	7	Paddy Brennan Paddy Brennan (jockey) Paddy Brennan, is an Irish jockey who rode the winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2010.A native of Ardrahan, County Galway, Brennan was a keen GAA player with dreams of becoming a county hurler. He only became involved in horseracing after a neighbour noticed his talent with hunt horses...	Ian Williams
2011	Wayward Prince	7	Dougie Costello	Ian Williams