Ascot’s
December meeting is a weekend that racing fans look forward to every year. It
blends festive atmosphere with seriously exciting racing, and it often gives
punters an early look at who will play
leading roles in the spring festivals.
Two races in
particular always stand out – the Long Walk Hurdle and the Howden Noel Novices’
Chase. Both are highly anticipated and have their own history and drama
associated with them. They also both have a habit of producing stars.
The Howden
Long Walk Hurdle
Run just
over three miles, the Howden Long Walk Hurdle is the main Grade 1 staying
hurdle race before Christmas. It’s been around for decades and regularly points
towards contenders for the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, so it’s one of the
first opportunities to see how the season’s leading stayers stack up.
The race is
demanding and honest, with challenging obstacles. Horses need to be able to
handle winter ground, find a rhythm and dig deep when the pressure rises on the
climb to the line. The winners tend to be in their prime, usually six to eight,
but still have experience and improvement yet to come.
Memorable
winners:
·
Baracouda – a four-time
winner of the Long Walk Hurdle (2000, 2001, 2003, and 2004) and went on to win
the Stayers Hurdle in March of both 2002 and 2003.
·
Big Bucks –
won the hurdle three times consecutively from 2009-2011, and won the Stayers
Hurdle four times in a row from 2009-2012.
·
Paisley Park –
won the hurdle three times (2018, 2020, and 2022) and won the Stayers in March
2019.
The
Howden Noel Novices’ Chase
The Howden
Noel Novices’ Chase is a Grade 2 chase, typically discovering new champions.
It’s run over around two and a quarter miles with 16 fences, and is the race
where we usually catch the first glimpse of the next generation of top-level
chasers.
Trainers
usually send horses here when they believe they are ready to take the step
forward, demonstrating a mix of speed, bravery, and balance that the course
requires. Not every novice has what it takes, but those who do impress here
often turn up at Cheltenham or Aintree with serious chances.
Memorable
winners:
·
Simonsig – won
the Novices’ Chase in December 2012 by 49 lengths, and went on to clinch a
victory in the Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham a few months later
·
Politologue –
leading from the start, he won the chase in 2016, and later went on to become a
Grade 1 winner with victories in the Tingle Creek Chase, the Melling Chase and
the Queen Mother Champion Chase
·
Remittance Man
– won the chase in 1990 and went on to win the Arkle Challenge Trophy later in
the season, and the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham the following year in 1992.
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In all, the
December meeting offers a perfect blend of quality, unpredictability and
seasonal charm. It sets the tone for the months ahead and gives racing fans an
early sense of which horses are ready to make their mark.
Those who
run well in the Long Walk Hurdle and the Noel Novices’ Chase often go on to
perform at the same calibre at Cheltenham and back at Ascot in the spring,
making this weekend a genuine indicator of future stars.
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