The 2 Mile Grade Dovecote Novice’s Hurdle run at Kempton on Racing Plus Chase day looks like an obvious final prep race for horses targeting the Supreme Novice’s Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but no horse has doubled up in those two races since Flown in 1992.
Indeed in recent years (and in spite of the Adonis Hurdle resticted to four year olds being run on the same card) trainers have being using this race to prep their juvenile hurdlers. Alan King’s Grumeti won last years renewal and went off favourite (finishing third) in the 2012 Triumph Hurdle. Sire De Grugy the 2011 winners has emerged a serious Champion Chase contender in 2013-14 winning Grade1s at Sandown and Ascot during this season. For now though the most famous horse on the roll of honour is the 1991 winner Martin Pipe’s Champion Hurdler Granville Again. In the 1991 Supreme Novices Granville Again was overturned by the heavily backed Destriero under Pat McWilliams. Here is a clip:
Dovecote Novice’s Hurdle Stats
- 7 of the last 8 renewals have been won by 4 & 5 year old horses
- 4 year olds have won 3 of the last 5 renewals
- Last year Grumeti became first winning favourite since 2003
- Alan King and Robert Thornton have teamed up to win 3 of the last 8
- Where rated ( 3 horses had no OR) winners were 130+
Dovecote Novices Hurdle Winners 2003-2012
| Year | Horse | Age | Jockey | Trainer | SP | FoF | |
| 2013 | Forgotten Voice | 8 | B J Geraghty | N J Henderson | 138 | 9-2 | 2 |
| 2012 | Grumeti | 4 | R Thornton | Alan King | 143 | 8-15 | 1 |
| 2011 | Sire De Grugy | 5 | Jamie Moore | Gary Moore | 131 | 11-4 | 3 |
| 2010 | Escort’men | 4 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | – | 16-1 | 3/PU |
| 2009 | Trenchant | 4 | R Thornton | Alan King | 130 | 14-1 | 2 |
| 2008 | Pigeon Island | 5 | Paddy Brennan | N A Twiston-Davies | 138 | 7-2 | 4 |
| 2007 | Shatabdi | 5 | Mr S Waley-Cohen | N J Henderson | – | 9-2 | PU |
| 2006 | Senorita Rumbalita | 5 | R Thornton | Alan King | – | 11-2 | 2 |
| 2005 | No Race | ||||||
| 2004 | No Race | ||||||
| 2003 | Puntal | 7 | AP McCoy | Martin Pipe | 144 | 4-5 | 1 |
