Drinmore Novice Chase: Five of the best The current iteration of the Drinmore Novice Chase, a Grade 1 chase run over 2m4f, has been run at Fairyhouse since 1994. It takes place in late November or early December every year and is usually run on the same day as the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle. This year’s renewal is set to take place on Sunday November 30th and it should be informative. Here are five of the race’s most iconic winners, including one of the most popular horses in recent years. Dorans Pride Michael Hourigan’s popular gelding Dorans Pride had a glittering career in Ireland, winning major Grade 1 races over both hurdles and fences. His finest hour came in the 1995 Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, where he beat Martin Pipe’s Cyborgo. Connections weren't afraid to mix things up and he ran over hurdles, fences and on the Flat throughout his career. Winning the Drinmore in 1996, it’s worth noting that he beat Paul Nicholls’ See More Business that day, and he went on to win the Gold Cup. Don Cossack Gordon Elliott holds the record for most successes in the Drinmore with eight victories, and the most significant of those is probably Don Cossack. The Gigginstown Stud-owned gelding won some of racing’s biggest prizes when at the peak of his powers. Injury ended his career and he wasn’t seen again after winning the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, which proved to be the ultimate last hurrah. It was immediately obvious that he was going to be a talented horse and he beat subsequent Grade 1 winners Carlingford Lough and Road To Riches in the 2013 Drinmore. Delta Work Another one for the Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown partnership, Delta Work managed to win at the Cheltenham Festival three times; once in the Pertemps Final and twice in the Cross Country Chase. He famously upset the public by outbattling stablemate Tiger Roll in 2022. Some of his best efforts came during his novice chase campaign and he won three Grade 1s. He scored at Leopardstown over Christmas and at the Punchestown Festival but his first top-level success came in this race, at the expense of Le Richebourg. Envoi Allen Envoi Allen is the first of two horses on this list to still be in training and he looked special straight away. He won the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and went on to follow up in the 2020 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle. Making all the running to win the Drinmore later that year, he won in good style and was much too good for them on the day. Inconsistency has plagued him in recent years but he’s still a Ryanair winner and a three-time winner of the Champion Chase at Down Royal. I Am Maximus Willie Mullins’ I Am Maximus is the only Drinmore winner to have also won the Grand National, although Delta Work came pretty close to completing the feat. His Grand National success in 2024 helped to seal the British trainers’ title that season. Jody McGarvey was on board when I Am Maximus won the Drinmore back in 2023 and he finished two-and-a-half lengths clear of Found A Fifty, with stablemate and multiple Grade 1- winner Sharjah back in fourth.
