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13:20Supreme Novices' Hurdle
14:00Arkle Chase
14:40Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
15:20Ultima Handicap Chase
16:00Champion Hurdle
16:40TrustATrader Festival Plate Handicap
17:20National Hunt Chase
13:20Turner's Novices' Hurdle
14:00Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
14:40BetMGM Cup Hurdle (Coral Cup)
15:20Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
16:00Champion Chase
16:40Grand Annual Chase
17:20Champion Bumper
Arkle Chase
14:00 Cheltenham Festival
2026-03-10
Winner: £113,072
Runners: 6
Going: Good To Soft
No. of hurdles: 13
Distance:
The Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase, run on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, is the premier race during the jumps season for the speedier novice chasers as it is run over the minimum trip of 2m. As a result the Grade 1 presents a fierce test of accurate jumping at speed. It has been won by some of the greatest horses in the history of jump racing, including Moscow Flyer, Sprinter Sacre and Altior, who all went on to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase the following season.
NO.DRAW
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1(0)
97-412
Hansard
-
J: Caoilin Quinn
T: Gary & Josh Moore
8
11-7
137
150
Had a simple task when beating two stablemates at Lingfield (2m, good to soft) in December; finished behind Jax Junior and Mambonumberfive in his runs on either side of that win; bottom of the list on ratings.
6(0)
2P-111
Steel Ally
-
J: Dylan Johnston
T: Sam Thomas
8
11-7
153
165
Pulled up on two of his last three goes over hurdles but the transition to chasing has been smooth and he's 3-3; showed further improvement when easily beating two rivals (Mambonumberfive well held in third) in Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices' at Warwick (2m, heavy; handles good) last month; faces his sternest assignment and will need another personal best.
7(0)
1-3212
Kargese
-
J: Danny Mullins
T: W P Mullins
6
11-0
149
164
Runner-up in the 2024 Triumph Hurdle and won last year's County; has quickly reached a similar level over fences, winning a beginners' event at Leopardstown (2m1f, yielding) just after Christmas and going down to the high-class Romeo Coolio in Grade 1 over the same C&D (soft) only after a titanic tussle and a final-fence blunder; should be in the thick of things again if fully recovered from those exertions.
2(0)
-21411
Jax Junior
-
J: Tom Cannon
T: Lucy Wadham
7
11-7
146
156
Bled from nose when well held behind Steel Ally at Ascot just before Christmas but otherwise he's made a fine start to his chasing career, winning a handicap at Sandown (1m7f, soft) and Grade 2 novice at Kempton (2m4f, good to soft) on last two starts; needs a chunk of improvement to trouble the principals but he's straightforward, tactically versatile and a sound jumper.
3(0)
111-41
Kopek Des Bordes
-
J: Paul Townend
T: W P Mullins
6
11-7
158
167
Travelled strongly when landing the odds in last year's Supreme (good to soft) before running no sort of race at Punchestown; dispatched inferior opposition with minimum of fuss on debut over fences at Navan (2m1f, soft/heavy) in November; hasn't been seen since (had a loose chip removed from a knee in December) and lacks the chasing experience of his rivals, but he certainly possesses the X factor and he's the one to beat with a clear round.
NR(0)
7-1113
Mambonumberfive
-
T: Ben Pauling
5
11-7
146
154
On a roll towards the end of 2025, completing a hat-trick of chase wins in Grade 2 novice at Kempton (2m, good; beat Hansard by 7l) just after Christmas; possibly unsuited by heavy ground when a well-beaten last of three behind Steel Ally at Warwick next time, jumping poorly; should encounter less testing conditions here but has plenty to find on the figures.
4(0)
2-1111
Lulamba
-
J: Nico de Boinville
T: Nicky Henderson
5
11-7
163
174
Leading juvenile hurdler last season, following narrow defeat in the Triumph with clearcut success at Punchestown, and he is 3-3 over fences; easily landed the odds in Grade 1 novice at Sandown (1m7f, good to soft) in December and he readily beat five older rivals in Grade 2 Game Spirit at Newbury (2m, heavy) last month; stellar stablemates Sprinter Sacre and Altior followed the Game Spirit path to Arkle success, and he's a very strong candidate.
RACING POST TIP
Kopek Des Bordes
Well Chief (2004) and Western Warhorse (2014) landed the Arkle with just one chase run under their belts and the classy KOPEK DES BORDES can follow suit. His strong-travelling success in last year's Supreme is etched in the memory and he can give Willie Mullins a seventh win in this race from the last 12 runnings. Lulamba has had a similar preparation to his illustrious stablemates Sprinter Sacre and Altior and commands major respect, while Steel Ally is also 3-3 in this sphere. Three-time Grade 1 winner Romeo Coolio misses the race in favour of tomorrow's Brown Advisory, but Kargese, who gave him a real fright at Leopardstown last time, has a fine Festival record and needs considering too.
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ARKLE CHASE PREVIOUS WINNERS
| Year | Horse | Previous Form | Age | Price | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2025 | Jango Baie | 222-12 | 6 | 5/1 | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 2024 | Gaelic Warrior | 21-11U | 6 | 2-1F | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2023 | El Fabiolo | -111 | 6 | 11-10F | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2022 | Edwardstone | B1111 | 8 | 5-2F | Alan King | Tom Cannon |
| 2021 | Shishkin | 11-111 | 7 | 4-9F | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 2020 | Put The Kettle On | 11121 | 6 | 16-1 | Henry De Bromhead | Aidan Coleman |
| 2019 | Duc De Genievres | 56-231 | 5 | 5-1 | Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2018 | Footpad | 43-111 | 6 | 5-6F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2017 | Altior | 1-1111 | 7 | 1-4F | Nicky Henderson | Nico de Boinville |
| 2016 | Douvan | 11-111 | 6 | 1-4F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2015 | Un De Sceaux | 11-F11 | 7 | 4-6F | Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
ARKLE CHASE KEY TRENDS AND STATS
Key trends
- Aged between six and seven, 9/10
- Won a Graded race that season already, 8/10
- Won last time out, 8/10
- Sent off favourite, 7/10
- No more than three chase runs, 7/10
Other factors
- Put The Kettle On (2020) is the only mare to have won the Arkle since 1980
- Three winners in the last decade won the Irish Arkle before following up at Cheltenham
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WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - ARKLE CHASE 2025
Nicky Henderson is the winningmost trainer in the Arkle Novices’ Chase and gained an eighth success when Jango Baie struck under Nico de Boinville. Majborough was sent off the 1-2 favourite but his round of jumping was littered with mistakes and the 5-1 shot Jango Baie capitalised. Jango Baie had proven stamina over further and stayed on best after the last to score by three-quarters of a length in a thrilling finish.