The Arkle Challenge Trophy (or simply "The Arkle" as it is more commonly known) is the 2 mile championship race for novice chasers and is run on the Tuesday of the festival over 2 miles on the old course, with 13 fences to be jumped. The race is named in memory of the great Arkle, whose statue can be seen at the course:
As the race is for novices, there have been no multiple winners, but some of the greatest chasers in the history of the sport have lifted this coveted prize - Altior, Sprinter Sacre, Sizing Europe, Moscow Flyer, Pendil, Flyingbolt and Fortria to name but a few. The most successful jockeys in the race are Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty with 4 wins apiece, and the most successful trainer is Nicky Henderson with 6 wins. Whilst the race demands speed and accurate jumping from young novices, it has also thrown up some notable stayers such as Tidal Bay, My Way de Solzen and Alverton.
With the introduction of the JLT Novices Chase over 2m5f, ante post punters are often left wondering whether their fancy will head to the Arkle or the longer race, so the market can be quite fluid until final targets are clarified.
The 2019 renewal has received an initial entry of 31 and the current favourite is Joseph O'Brien's Le Richebourg, who took his chase record to 4 wins from 5 starts with a dominant display in the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown and is a general 4/1 shot. Next best is Kayley Woollacott's Lalor at around the 5/1 mark (there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house if he were to prevail) followed by Kalashnikov, Dynamite Dollars and Cilaos Emery around the 7/1 mark. We then have a very interesting trio (for different reasons) in Getabird, Paloma Blue and Defi Du Seuil - all of whom I would have as potential winners and shorter in the market) at around the 14/1 mark.
Probably best waiting until the day of the race if not already invested in the market and to be honest, if we look at the last 4 winners (Un de Sceaux, Douvan, Altior and Footpad) this does already feel like a sub-standard renewal. But who knows, perhaps a superstar will emerge.
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As the race is for novices, there have been no multiple winners, but some of the greatest chasers in the history of the sport have lifted this coveted prize - Altior, Sprinter Sacre, Sizing Europe, Moscow Flyer, Pendil, Flyingbolt and Fortria to name but a few. The most successful jockeys in the race are Ruby Walsh and Barry Geraghty with 4 wins apiece, and the most successful trainer is Nicky Henderson with 6 wins. Whilst the race demands speed and accurate jumping from young novices, it has also thrown up some notable stayers such as Tidal Bay, My Way de Solzen and Alverton.
With the introduction of the JLT Novices Chase over 2m5f, ante post punters are often left wondering whether their fancy will head to the Arkle or the longer race, so the market can be quite fluid until final targets are clarified.
The 2019 renewal has received an initial entry of 31 and the current favourite is Joseph O'Brien's Le Richebourg, who took his chase record to 4 wins from 5 starts with a dominant display in the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown and is a general 4/1 shot. Next best is Kayley Woollacott's Lalor at around the 5/1 mark (there wouldn't be a dry eye in the house if he were to prevail) followed by Kalashnikov, Dynamite Dollars and Cilaos Emery around the 7/1 mark. We then have a very interesting trio (for different reasons) in Getabird, Paloma Blue and Defi Du Seuil - all of whom I would have as potential winners and shorter in the market) at around the 14/1 mark.
Probably best waiting until the day of the race if not already invested in the market and to be honest, if we look at the last 4 winners (Un de Sceaux, Douvan, Altior and Footpad) this does already feel like a sub-standard renewal. But who knows, perhaps a superstar will emerge.
.I fancy Defi do seuil for this race if he is rerouted and there is a bit of cut in the ground.