The competitors which line up for the Sun Alliance Novices Chase are all coming to the end of their first season over fences. Form can therefore be a little misleading with many entrants having only ran a couple of times in that season. At over three miles in length it is not an easy trip for the novices and shocks are often a feature of this event, illustrated with only one favourite winning in the last seven years. The best suggestion is to look for the more experienced horses in making your selection and one race to consider as a good form guide is the Reynoldstown Chase, run at Ascot earlier in the racing calendar.

Click here for the latest 2004 Cheltenham Festival betting.

One Knight took the 2003 Cheltenham Festival Sun Alliance Chase in great style, leading from start to finish with a memorable front running display. Despite several jumping mistakes he was still far too strong for the competition and crossed the line three lengths clear of the second placed Jair du Cochet. Under Jacques Ricou the favourite Jair du Cochet was left with far too much to do in the final furlong and had perhaps been kept at the rear of the field for a little too long. Narrowly beaten into third place was the Irish horse Barrow Drive, who on the basis of this spirited performance could be one to watch in future Cheltenham Festivals.

Sun Alliance Novices Chase Results
Year	Horse	Trainer	Starting Price
2003	One Knight	P Hobbs	15/2
2002	Hussard Collonges	P Beaumont	33/1
2000	Lord Noelie	H Knight	9/2
1999	Looks Like Trouble	N Chance	16/1
1998	Florida Pearl	W Mullins	11/8 Fav
1997	Hanakham	D McCain	13/2
1996	Nahthen Lad	J Danahar	7/1

Wednesday's feature race follows continues the meeting - the Queen Mother Champion Chase.