The Arkle Challenge Trophy is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham, England, over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mile, 7 furlongs and 199 yards, or ), and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and takes place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
It is the leading minimum-distance chase for novices in the National Hunt calendar. It is the second race on the opening day of the festival.
History The Arkle Challenge Trophy was introduced as a replacement for the Cotswold Chase, a previous event at the Cheltenham Festival, in 1969. Its title pays tribute to Arkle, a three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the mid-1960s. The race was formerly scheduled to be run on the second day of the Festival, but it was switched to its slot on the opening day in 1980.
The first sponsor of the "Arkle" was Waterford Castle, which began supporting the event in 1991. It was backed by Guinness from 1994 to 1999, and from 2000 to 2011 it was sponsored by the Irish Independent newspaper. The Racing Post newspaper sponsored the race from 2012 to 2020. From 2021 to 2023 the race was sponsored by Sporting Life.
Several winners of the race have subsequently achieved victory in the most prestigious two-mile chase in the National Hunt calendar, the Queen Mother Champion Chase. The most recent was Put The Kettle On, the winner of the latter event in 2021. The 1978 winner, Alverton, went on to win the following season's Cheltenham Gold Cup.
In 2020, Put the Kettle On become the first Mare to win the race since Anaglogs Daughter in 1980.
Records Leading jockey since 1946 (4 wins): Barry Geraghty – Moscow Flyer (2002), Forpadydeplasterer (2009), Sprinter Sacre (2012), Simonsig (2013) Ruby Walsh – Azertyuiop (2003), Un de Sceaux (2015), Douvan (2016), Footpad (2018)
Leading trainer since 1946 (8 wins): Nicky Henderson – Remittance Man (1991), Travado (1993), Tiutchev (2000), Sprinter Sacre (2012), Simonsig (2013), Altior (2017), Shishkin (2021), Jango Baie (2025)
Winners since 1946 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer 1946 Bright Penny 6 Glen Kelly Bobby Norris 1947 no race 1947 1948 Top Cash 6 Glen Kelly Bobby Norris 1949 Grand Refrain 5 Glen Kelly Bobby Norris 1950 High Level 5 Johnny Bullock Fred Rimell 1951 Red Steel 5 Dick Francis Frank Cundell 1952 Nautical Print 5 Tommy Cusack Gerry Wilson 1953 Bramble Tudor 5 Tim Molony Stewart Wight 1954 Armorial III 5 René Emery Fulke Walwyn 1955 Manuscrit 5 Johnny Bullock Fulke Walwyn 1956 Sir Ken 9 Tim Molony Willie Stephenson 1957 Ballyatom 5 Bob McCreery George Beeby 1958 Fortria 6 Tom Taaffe Tom Dreaper 1959 Flame Gun 8 Fred Winter Charlie Mallon 1960 Mazurka 6 Ron Harrison Ron Smyth 1961 Mountcashel King 6 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper 1962 Prudent Barney 8 Johnny East Bobby Renton 1963 Ben Stack 6 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper 1964 Greektown 8 Michael Scudamore Willie Stephenson 1965 Flyingbolt 6 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper 1966 Arctic Sunset 6 George Milburn Ken Oliver 1967 Arctic Stream 7 Ben Hannon Pat Rooney 1968 The Hustler 6 Barry Brogan Earl Jones 1969 Chatham 5 Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell 1970 Soloning 5 Paul Kelleway Fred Winter 1971 Alpheus 6 Eddie Wright Tom Dreaper 1972 Pendil 7 Richard Pitman Fred Winter 1973 Denys Adventure 8 Graham Thorner Tim Forster 1974 Canasta Lad 8 Jeff King Peter Bailey 1975 Broncho II 6 Colin Tinkler Tony Dickinson 1976 Roaring Wind 8 Reg Crank Roy Cambidge 1977 Tip the Wink 7 Dessie Hughes Pat Taylor 1978 Alverton 8 Graham Thorner Peter Easterby 1979 Chinrullah 7 Dessie Hughes Mick O'Toole 1980 Anaglogs Daughter 7 Tommy Carberry Bill Durkan 1981 Clayside 7 Alan Brown Peter Easterby 1982 The Brockshee 7 Tommy Carberry Arthur Moore 1983 Ryeman 6 Alan Brown Peter Easterby 1984 Bobsline 8 Frank Berry Francis Flood 1985 Boreen Prince 8 Niall Madden Andrew McNamara 1986 Oregon Trail 6 Ronnie Beggan Simon Christian 1987 Gala's Image 7 Richard Linley Mercy Rimell 1988 Danish Flight 9 Mark Dwyer Jimmy FitzGerald 1989 Waterloo Boy 6 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson 1990 Comandante 8 Peter Hobbs Josh Gifford 1991 Remittance Man 7 Richard Dunwoody Nicky Henderson 1992 Young Pokey 7 Jamie Osborne Oliver Sherwood 1993 Travado 7 Jamie Osborne Nicky Henderson 1994 Nakir 6 Jamie Osborne Simon Christian 1995 Klairon Davis 6 Francis Woods Arthur Moore 1996 Ventana Canyon 7 Richard Dunwoody Edward O'Grady 1997 Or Royal 6 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe 1998 Champleve 5 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe 1999 Flagship Uberalles 5 Joe Tizzard Paul Nicholls 2000 Tiutchev 7 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson 2001 no race 2001 2002 Moscow Flyer 8 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington 2003 Azertyuiop 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2004 Well Chief 5 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe 2005 Contraband 7 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe 2006 Voy Por Ustedes 5 Robert Thornton Alan King 2007 My Way de Solzen 7 Robert Thornton Alan King 2008 Tidal Bay 7 Denis O'Regan Howard Johnson 2009 Forpadydeplasterer 7 Barry Geraghty Tom Cooper 2010 Sizing Europe 8 Andrew Lynch Henry de Bromhead 2011 Captain Chris 7 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2012 Sprinter Sacre 6 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2013 Simonsig 7 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson 2014 Western Warhorse 6 Tom Scudamore David Pipe 2015 Un de Sceaux 7 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2016 Douvan 6 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2017 Altior 7 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2018 Footpad 6 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins 2019 Duc des Genievres 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2020 Put The Kettle On 6 Aidan Coleman Henry de Bromhead 2021 Shishkin 7 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2022 Edwardstone 8 Tom Cannon Alan King 2023 El Fabiolo 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2024 Gaelic Warrior 6 Paul Townend Willie Mullins 2025 Jango Baie 6 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson 2026 Kargese 6 Danny Mullins Willie Mullins
See also Horse racing in Great Britain List of British National Hunt races
References
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
cheltenham.co.uk – Media information pack (2010). pedigreequery.com – Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase – Cheltenham.
External links Race Recordings (1972-2004) youtube.com