- The Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle was introduced to The Festival in 1971 as the Aldsworth Hurdle. Sun Alliance, who merged with Royal Insurance in 1996, took it on in 1974, together with the Sun Alliance Chase, having previously sponsored the Foxhunter Chase. Ballymore Properties sponsored the contest between 2007 and 2009, while Neptune Investment Management will sponsor the race for the first time in 2010.
- The Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle, along with the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and the RSA Chase, are acknowledged as championship races for the staying novice hurdler and chaser.
- Only one horse has won both the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle and the RSA Chase. The West Awake took the hurdle race in 1987 and the chase event a year later.
- The smallest field for the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle was 14 in both 2009 and 2000. There have been 15 runners on four occasions - 1973, 2004, 2007 and 2008. The largest field was 29, achieved in 1979, 1984 and 1991. The current safety limit is 24.
- The Irish-trained 1994 winner, Danoli, was the subject of a massive gamble and was sent off the 7/4 favourite. The shortest-priced winner was another Irish victor, Mr Kildare, at 8/11 in 1978. Favourites have been successful in 13 of the 37 runnings. The longest-priced winner was 40/1 chance Even Dawn in the second running in 1972.
- The Irish have an excellent record in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle with 15 wins, including six consecutive victories from 1973-78.
- Having sent out the winner in 2008 and 2009, Willie Mullins became the seventh trainer to win two Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdles, joining Aidan O’Brien, Martin Pipe, Oliver Sherwood, Mick O'Toole, Edward O'Grady and Nigel Twiston-Davies. Oliver Sherwood and Dessie Hughes are the two trainers to have also won the race as jockeys. Sherwood was in the saddle on Venture To Cognac in 1979, while his training wins were with The West Awake (1987) and Rebel Song (1988). Dessie Hughes was twice successful as a jockey with Davy Lad (1975) and Parkhill (1976) and sent out Hardy Eustace (2003) to victory as a trainer.
- The fastest time for the winning horse was 4m 52.0s set by Monsignor in 2000, beating the 4m 56.2s of Regal Ambition in 1990.
- Istabraq (1997) and Hardy Eustace (2003) both won this race en route to victory in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, while Davy Lad (1975) went on to take the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle - Roll
(Ballymore Novices' Hurdle 2009, Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle 2007-2008, Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle 1998-2006, Royal Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle 1997, Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle 1974-96, Aldsworth Hurdle 1971-73)
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Mikael D'Haguenet | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins IRE | 5/2F |
| 2008 | Fiveforthree | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins IRE | 7/1 |
| 2007 | Massini's Maguire | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs | 20/1 |
| 2006 | Nicanor | Paul Carberry | Noel Meade IRE | 17/2 |
| 2005 | No Refuge | Graham Lee | Howard Johnson | 17/2 |
| 2004 | Fundamentalist | Carl Llewellyn | Nigel Twiston-Davies | 12/1 |
| 2003 | Hardy Eustace | Kieran Kelly | Dessie Hughes IRE | 6/1 |
| 2002 | Galileo | Jason Maguire | Tom George | 12/1 |
| 2001 | ||||
| 2000 | Monsignor | Norman Williamson | Mark Pitman | 5/4F |
| 1999 | Barton | Lorcan Wyer | Tim Easterby | 2/1F |
| 1998 | French Holly | Andrew Thornton | Ferdy Murphy | 2/1F |
| 1997 | Istabraq | Charlie Swan | Aidan O'Brien IRE | 6/5F |
| 1996 | Urubande | Charlie Swan | Aidan O'Brien IRE | 8/1 |
| 1995 | Putty Road | Norman Williamson | David Nicholson | 7/1 |
| 1994 | Danoli | Charlie Swan | Tom Foley IRE | 7/4F |
| 1993 | Gaelstrom | Carl Llewellyn | Nigel Twiston-Davies | 16/1 |
| 1992 | Thetford Forest | Richard Dunwoody | David Nicholson | 7/1 |
| 1991 | Crystal Spirit | Jimmy Frost | Ian Balding | 2/1F |
| 1990 | Regal Ambition | Peter Scudamore | Martin Pipe | 3/1F |
| 1989 | Sayfar's Lad | Mark Perrett | Martin Pipe | 12/1 |
| 1988 | Rebel Song | Simon Sherwood | Oliver Sherwood | 14/1 |
| 1987 | The West Awake | Simon Sherwood | Oliver Sherwood | 16/1 |
| 1986 | Ten Plus | Kevin Mooney | Fulke Walwyn | 5/2F |
| 1985 | Asir | Mr Ronnie Beggan | Paul Kelleway | 9/1 |
| 1984 | Fealty | Seamus O'Neill | Peter Brookshaw | 33/1 |
| 1983 | Sabin Du Loir | Graham Bradley | Michael Dickinson | 16/1 |
| 1982 | Mister Donovan | Tommy Ryan | Edward O'Grady IRE | 9/2 |
| 1981 | Gaye Chance | Sam Morshead | Fred Rimell | 7/1 |
| 1980 | Drumlargan | Tommy Ryan | Edward O'Grady IRE | 5/2F |
| 1979 | Venture To Cognac | Mr Oliver Sherwood | Fred Winter | 4/1 |
| 1978 | Mr Kildare | Tommy Carmody | Liam Browne IRE | 8/11F |
| 1977 | Counsel Cottage | Sean Treacy | Paddy Mullins IRE | 6/1 |
| 1976 | Parkhill | Dessie Hughes | Mick O'Toole IRE | 4/1 |
| 1975 | Davy Lad | Dessie Hughes | Mick O'Toole IRE | 5/2F |
| 1974 | Brown Lad | Ron Barry | Paddy Osborne IRE | 2/1F |
| 1973 | Willie Wumpkins | Pat Colville | Adrian Maxwell IRE | 11/1 |
| 1972 | Even Dawn | Ron Hyett | Katie Gaze | 40/1 |
| 1971 | Midsprite | Macer Gifford | Tom Jones | 7/1 |
