Arkle Challenge Trophy Odds

The Arkle Trophy is one of the bigger betting events during the festival, and the market regularly changes throughout the season. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled on horseracing.net for expert views and analysis on the 2020 Arkle Trophy as the picture becomes clearer.

The latest odds for the Arkle Trophy will be listed below just as soon as they become available.

Arkle Challenge Trophy Tips

Tips for the 2020 Arkle Trophy will appear here. 

What is the Arkle Challenge Trophy?

The Arkle Trophy is a Grade 1 novice chase, which is run over just shy of two miles (one mile, seven furlongs and 199 yards) and is traditionally held on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival, known as Champion Tuesday. The race is seen as ideal preparation for the following year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, and winners of the Arkle regularly go on to complete that particular double the following year, with the 2017 winner Altior the most recent Arkle winner to achieve the feat, doing so in 2018.      

What happened in the 2019 Arkle Challenge Trophy?

The fact that we had seen an odds-on favourite in each of the last four renewals of the Arkle meant that the 2019 renewal felt particularly refreshing, in that it was a particularly open-looking affair according to the betting, with a field of 12 heading to post. The departures of the well-fancied trio of Glen Forsa, Kalashnikov and Lalor before the race had begun in earnest, coupled with the well-backed favourite Hardline failing to give his running, opened the door for Duc Des Genievres to take hold of the race for the Willie Mullins team, and he needed no second invitation, hammering home to score by 13 lengths and set himself out as a chaser to follow in the 2019/20 season.   

The history of the Arkle Challenge Trophy

The Arkle Challenge Trophy was first introduced to the Cheltenham Festival in 1969, and was named after the three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Arkle, who is largely considered to be the greatest National Hunt horse of all-time. Arkle winners regularly follow up at the Cheltenham Festival later in their careers, and several horses have done so this decade - Sizing Europe, Sprinter Sacre, Un De Sceaux and Altior. The Arkle has been sponsored by the Racing Post since 2012. 

Who is the most iconic winner of the Arkle Challenge Trophy?

The name of the Arkle is a deceptive one when looking at the roll of honour for the race, as the great Arkle never won the race himself. The race hasn’t suffered from that, though, and a host of star names have made their mark in the race - including Moscow Flyer. Although he was a Grade 1-winning hurdler, Moscow Flyer really came into his own over fences, and barring two falls he enjoyed an excellent novice chasing season, which culminated in winning the 2002 renewal of the Arkle. Jumping issues would continue to niggle Moscow Flyer throughout his career, but he built up a formidable record nonetheless, winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2003 and 2005. Moscow Flyer would continue racing until the grand old age of 12, and signed off by finishing a creditable fifth in the 2006 Champion Chase. 

Are there any trials for the Arkle Challenge Trophy?

There are plenty of trial races for the Arkle that are worth keeping an eye out for throughout the season, with the most significant of those being the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown and the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton. Other races to note include the Future Stars Intermediate Chase at Sandown, the November Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham, the Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot, the Lightning Novices’ Chase at Doncaster and the Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick. Over in Ireland, races to watch include the Buck House Novice Chase and the Craddockstown Novice Chase, which are both at Punchestown, and the Racing Post Novice Chase and the Irish Arkle, which are both at Leopardstown.

Who is the most successful jockey in the Arkle Challenge Trophy?

The joint-most successful jockeys in the history of the Arkle Trophy are Barry Geraghty and Ruby Walsh, who both have four wins. Barry Geraghty’s Arkle wins came with Moscow Flyer (2002), Forpadydeplasterer (2009), Sprinter Sacre (2012) and Simonsig (2013), while Ruby Walsh’s four Arkle wins came with Azertyuiop (2003), Un De Sceaux (2015), Douvan (2016) and Footpad (2018).

Who is the most successful trainer in the Arkle Challenge Trophy?

The most successful trainer in the history of the Arkle Trophy is Nicky Henderson, who has won the race six times, with Remittance Man (1991), Travado (1993), Tiutchev (2000), Sprinter Sacre (2012), Simonsig (2013) and Altior (2017).