The bet365 Jump Finale is as much a part of Britain’s Jump racing season as some of the biggest feature races and festivals throughout the year.
Marking the end of each season, the April raceday is a chance to see some of the most talented horses in training for a final time before they take a break, while also celebrating the achievements of the champion jockey, trainer, conditional jockey and owner.
From the creation of the two-day mixed Flat and Jump meeting to the final ride of legendary jockey AP McCoy’s career, we take a look at the key milestones of the fixture throughout the years and how the bet365 Jump Finale was first created…
1957 – The Whitbread Gold Cup is run for the first time and the first Jump race to be commercially sponsored is won by Much Obliged. It is the only chase staged on an otherwise all Flat Saturday card.
1995 – A second chase is added to the Saturday fixture – the Grade Two Silver Trophy over two and a half miles.
1999 – A third chase is added to the Saturday programme – a novices’ handicap chase over two and a half miles.
2000 – The Saturday card becomes the official end of the Jump season, even though Jump racing continues the following day. Presentations are made to the champion owner (Robert Ogden), trainer (Martin Pipe) and jockey (AP McCoy).
2001 – The foot and mouth epidemic causes the cancellation of the Cheltenham Festival. The Sandown Park programme is altered to become two days of mixed racing, including hurdle races for the first time. The altered programme contains four contests which act as substitute races for those lost at Cheltenham – a three mile Gold Trophy (won by Marlborough), a two mile Championship Chase (won by Edredon Bleu), a two mile Championship Hurdle (won by Landing Light) and the three mile Distance Hurdle (won by Baracouda). This is the final year of Whitbread’s sponsorship.
2002 – The two day mixed meeting is retained. The two mile chase is now named the Queen Mother Celebration Chase, in memory of The Queen Mother, a great supporter of Sandown Park who died on March 30th that year.
2005 – The Celebration Chase is elevated to Grade Two status.
2008 – Friday reverts to an all Flat card while Saturday is an equal split – four Flat and four Jump races.
2014 – Saturday becomes an all Jump card for the first time. The Celebration Chase becomes a Grade One contest. The Oaksey Chase (2m 6f 164y) and Select Hurdle (2m 5f 110y) are created. A four-day break in the Jump Fixture list is created, which now stands at six days.
2015 – After 4,357 winners and collecting his 20th Champion Jump Jockey trophy earlier in the afternoon, AP McCoy brings down the curtain on his career. He is out of luck on his final day in the saddle, finishing third on his last mount, Box Office.
2016 – The Oaksey Chase becomes a Grade Two contest. After finishing runner-up to AP McCoy in the Jump Jockeys’ Championship on no fewer than 16 occasions, Richard Johnson is finally crowned Champion Jump Jockey.
2017 – The Select Hurdle becomes a Grade Two contest.
2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic forces the suspension of racing and the cancellation of the bet365 Jump Finale.
THE CHAMPIONS SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE bet365 JUMP FINALE AT SANDOWN PARK
Champion Owner
2019–20 J P McManus
2018–19 J P McManus
2017–18 J P McManus
2016–17 J P McManus
2015–16 Gigginstown House Stud
2014–15 J P McManus
2013–14 J P McManus
2012–13 J P McManus
2011–12 J P McManus
2010–11 Trevor Hemmings
2009–10 J P McManus
2008–09 J P McManus
2007–08 David Johnson
2006–07 J P McManus
2005–06 J P McManus
2004–05 David Johnson
2003–04 David Johnson
2002–03 David Johnson
2001–02 David Johnson
2000–01 Robert Ogden
1999–00 Robert Ogden
Champion Trainer
2019–20 Nicky Henderson
2018–19 Paul Nicholls
2017–18 Nicky Henderson
2016–17 Nicky Henderson
2015–16 Paul Nicholls
2014–15 Paul Nicholls
2013–14 Paul Nicholls
2012–13 Nicky Henderson
2011–12 Paul Nicholls
2010–11 Paul Nicholls
2009–10 Paul Nicholls
2008–09 Paul Nicholls
2007–08 Paul Nicholls
2006–07 Paul Nicholls
2005–06 Paul Nicholls
2004–05 Martin Pipe
2003–04 Martin Pipe
2002–03 Martin Pipe
2001–02 Martin Pipe
2000–01 Martin Pipe
1999–00 Martin Pipe
Champion Jockey
2019–20 Brian Hughes
2018–19 Richard Johnson
2017–18 Richard Johnson
2016–17 Richard Johnson
2015–16 Richard Johnson
2014–15 A P McCoy
2013–14 A P McCoy
2012–13 A P McCoy
2011–12 A P McCoy
2010–11 A P McCoy
2009–10 A P McCoy
2008–09 A P McCoy
2007–08 A P McCoy
2006–07 A P McCoy
2005–06 A P McCoy
2004–05 A P McCoy
2003–04 A P McCoy
2002–03 A P McCoy
2001–02 A P McCoy
2000–01 A P McCoy
1999–2000 A P McCoy
Champion Conditional Jockey
2019-20 Jonjo O’Neill Jnr
2018-19 Bryony Frost
2017-18 James Bowen
2016-17 Harry Cobden
2015-16 Craig Nichol
2014-15 Sean Bowen
2013-14 Gavin Sheehan
2012-13 Lucy Alexander
2011-12 Henry Brooke
2010-11 Sam Twiston-Davies
2009-10 Rhys Flint
2008-09 Aidan Coleman
2007-08 Brian Hughes
2006-07 Tom O’Brien
2005-06 Will Kennedy
2004-05 Paddy Brennan
2003-04 Jamie Moore
2002-03 Marcus Foley
2001-02 Henry Oliver
2000-01 Noel Fehily
1999-00 Alan Dempsey
