Arkle Challenge Trophy 2021 Racecard

Name: SPORTING LIFE ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY NOVICES' CHASE (Grade 1) (1)
Start: 2021-03-16T13:55:00
End: 2021-03-16T13:55:00
Location: CHELTENHAM

The Arkle Challenge Trophy – sometimes known as just the ‘Arkle’ - is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase which takes place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March. In November 2020, it was announced that Sporting Life would be the new sponsor of the race.

1:55 Tue 16 Mar ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY

Distance: 15f 199y Age: 5yo + Prize: £131,250

ENTRY FORM	HORSE JOCKEY & TRAINER	AGE WGT	ODDS
1 1113-3111	1. ALLMANKIND T: Dan Skelton	5 11-4	15/28.5 7/18 7/18 6/17 6/17 3/14 3/14
1113-3111

2 2F42-1F33	2. BLACKBOW (IRE) T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	8 11-4	50/151 25/126 25/126 16/117 16/117 14/115 14/115
2F42-1F33

3 12B-P12F	3. CAPTAIN GUINNESS (IRE) T: Henry de Bromhead, Ireland	6 11-4	20/121 16/117 16/117 16/117 16/117 8/19 8/19
12B-P12F

5 1323-1327	5. DARVER STAR (IRE) T: Gavin Patrick Cromwell, Ireland	9 11-4	40/141 33/134 33/134 25/126 25/126 20/121 20/121
1323-1327

6 U/230-1142	6. ELDORADO ALLEN (FR) T: Colin Tizzard	7 11-4	50/151 50/151 50/151 50/151 40/141 20/121 20/121
U/230-1142

7 F2111/77-2	7. ELIXIR DE NUTZ (FR) T: Colin Tizzard	7 11-4	66/167 33/134 33/134 25/126 25/126 16/117 16/117
F2111/77-2

8 5363-2244	8. EMBITTERED (IRE) T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien, Ireland	7 11-4	50/151 50/151 50/151 40/141 33/134 33/134 33/134
5363-2244

9 311-111	9. ENERGUMENE (FR) T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	7 11-4	5/23.5 9/43.25 9/43.25 9/43.25 9/43.25 4/61.67 4/61.67
311-111

10 51/2-F1138	10. FELIX DESJY (FR) T: Gordon Elliott, Ireland	8 11-4	50/151 25/126 25/126 25/126 25/126 20/121 20/121
51/2-F1138

11 1/172P-112	11. FRANCO DE PORT (FR) T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	6 11-4	20/121 16/117 16/117 16/117 16/117 9/110 9/110
1/172P-112

12 F55-15121	12. FUNAMBULE SIVOLA (FR) T: Venetia Williams	6 11-4	66/167 33/134 33/134 25/126 25/126 16/117 16/117
F55-15121

13 11P0-11P1	13. FUSIL RAFFLES (FR) T: Nicky Henderson	6 11-4	40/141 20/121 20/121 20/121 20/121 14/115 14/115
11P0-11P1

14 16-1113	14. GA LAW (FR) T: Jamie Snowden	5 11-4	40/141 25/126 25/126 25/126 25/126 16/117 16/117
16-1113

15 840-1316U	15. LE PATRIOTE (FR) T: Dr Richard Newland	9 11-4	50/151 33/134 33/134 33/134 33/134 20/121 20/121
840-1316U

16 885-43113	16. NUMITOR T: Heather Main	7 11-4	100/1101 100/1101 100/1101 80/181 66/167 50/151 50/151
885-43113

17 1/F111-111	17. SHISHKIN (IRE) T: Nicky Henderson	7 11-4	10/111.91 10/111.91 10/111.91 4/51.8 4/51.8
1/F111-111

18 F22-25112	18. SKY PIRATE T: Jonjo O'Neill	8 11-4	40/141 33/134 33/134 25/126 16/117 9/110 9/110
F22-25112

Betting Forecast : Betting forecast will appear here when available.

First run in 1969 as a replacement for the Cotswold Chase, a previous event at the Cheltenham Festival which had been around since 1946, the race’s title pays tribute to Arkle, a three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the mid-1960s.

In its first year, the race was worth £1,365, and was won by Chatham (10/1), trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Terry Biddlecombe. In comparison, the 2019 renewal will carry a total prize fund of £175,000, with connections of the winning horse receiving nearly £100,000 alone.

The Arkle Challenge Trophy has a history of being won multiple times by trainers and jockeys - Martin Pipe notched up successive wins with Or Royal in 1997 and Champleve in 1998, before Well Chief in 2004 and Contraband a year later gave him two more wins, with the latter beating 18 other horses.

A.P. McCoy equalled Jamie Osborne’s three wins in 2004 when scoring on Well Chief, having also been aboard Or Royal and Champleve. Now a trainer, Osborne recorded a hat-trick as a jockey between 1992 and 1994, on Young Pokey, Travado, and Nakir for three different trainers, Oliver Sherwood, Nicky Henderson and Simon Christian.

Henderson is the leading trainer in the race, his six victories spanning 27 years - Remittance Man (1991), Travado (1993), Tiutchev (2000), Sprinter Sacre (2012), Simonsig (2013) and Altior (2017).

As a result of Henderson’s success, Barry Geraghty – who rides most horses for the yard - is the leading rider in the race having registered four victories, with Moscow Flyer (2002), Forpadytheplasterer (2009), Sprinter Sacre and Simonsig .

Although Sprinter Sacre produced an excellent performance when winning the 2012 Arkle Challenge Trophy, the best Arkle Challenge Trophy winners since the turn of the century have generally been trained in Ireland.

Willie Mullins has dominated the race in recent years, thanks to victories for Un de Sceaux in 2015, Douvan in 2016 and Footpad in 2018, all of whom produced top-class performances on Timeform’s scale and were ridden by Ruby Walsh . Mullins added another in 2019 – courtesy of Duc des Genievres – though he was ridden by Paul Townend.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Altior interrupted the winning run of Mullins, and while his performance wasn’t as good, he successfully returned to the Cheltenham Festival in both 2018 and 2019 to record wins in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Indeed, the Arkle Challenge Trophy brings together the best two-mile novice chasers, so it’s only natural that many will go on to become the best two-mile chasers when stepping out of novice company the following season.

Since the turn of the century, six horses have managed the double, namely Moscow Flyer (2002/2003), Azertyuiop (2003/2004), Voy Por Ustedes (2006/2007), Sizing Europe (2010/2011), Sprinter Sacre (2012/2013, and Altior (2017/2018).