The My Pension Expert 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
FORM

HORSE

ODDS

JOCKEY& TRAINER

AGE

WGT

RPR

2⁽⁰⁾

5-1111

L'Eau du Sud

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

11-7

156

162

Useful hurdler (runner-up in County 12 months ago); has made into a significantly better chaser this season, jumping notably fluently when scoring over C&D (good ground) in the autumn; followed up in Grade 1 Henry VIII at Sandown (from Touch Me Not) and maintained 100% record over fences in Grade 2 Kingmaker at Warwick (2m, soft) 31 days ago; reliable and tactically versatile; a high-class novice who may not have reached his ceiling just yet.

5⁽⁰⁾

7-3111

Only By Night

J: Keith Donoghue

T: Gavin Cromwell

11-0

144

153

Progressive mare with an impressive strike-rate; unbeaten in three runs over fences, again jumping well in the main when winning Listed mares' event at Exeter (2m1f, good to soft) in February; open to further improvement but she's in much deeper here and will need a personal best by some way.

1⁽⁰⁾

222-12

Jango Baie

J: Nico de Boinville

T: Nicky Henderson

11-7

153

165

Upwardly mobile type, first or second in all eight races; ended last season's hurdle campaign with eyecatching second in hot handicap at Aintree and has taken very well to fences this term, jumping soundly when winning here (good to soft) in December and when edged out in Grade 1 Scilly Isles at Sandown (heavy); those runs were over 2m4f but he's a strikingly strong traveller who should prove at least as effective back at 2m; major player for yard that has won this race with the likes of Sprinter Sacre and Altior.

4⁽⁰⁾

1-2122

Touch Me Not

J: Jack Kennedy

T: Gordon Elliott

11-7

151

158

Front-runner; didn't set the world alight over hurdles but he's already a much better chaser; won Grade 2 novice at Punchestown (2m, soft) in November and has finished second in Grade 1s at Sandown (soft; beaten under 4l by L'Eau du Sud) and Leopardstown (yielding; beaten 9l by Majborough) since; in the mix but others are more likely for win purposes.

3⁽⁰⁾

/31-11

Majborough

J: Mark Walsh

T: W P Mullins

11-7

162

171

Lightly raced 5yo, beaten just once; won Triumph Hurdle (2m1f, heavy) at last year's Festival; 2-2 over fences, making the odd novicey jump but convincingly on top from before last fence when beating Touch Me Not by 9l in Grade 1 Irish Arkle at Leopardstown (2m1f, yielding) last month; races prominently; has the strongest piece of form and is open to further improvement.

RACING POST TIP

L'Eau du Sud

It's 19 years since a 5yo won the Arkle but last season's Triumph Hurdle winner Majborough has been a short-priced favourite since Sir Gino was ruled out in February due to injury. Unbeaten in two chase runs, he was ultimately impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown and bids to give his trainer a third successive victory in this race following El Fabiolo in 2023 and Gaelic Warrior 12 months ago. With a clear round he's the one to beat, but his jumping has been a mixed bag so far and the fluent, strong-travelling L'EAU DU SUD could take advantage of any mistakes from the favourite. Sir Gino's stablemate Jango Baie is a very exciting prospect in his own right and adds spice to a mouthwatering contest.

Cheltenham Free Bets

ARKLE CHASE PREVIOUS WINNERS

Year	Horse	Previous Form	Age	Price	Trainer	Jockey
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, 9/10
Won last time out, 9/10
Sent off favourite, 8/10
No more than three chase runs, 7/10
Adjusted RPR of 169 or above, 6/10

Other factors

Put The Kettle On (2020) is the only mare to have won the Arkle since 1980
Four winners in the last decade won the Irish Arkle before following up at Cheltenham

We have all the best Cheltenham Betting offers ahead of placing your bets on the 2025 Arkle Chase

WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR - ARKLE CHASE 2024

After finishing second on his first two runs at the Cheltenham Festival, Gaelic Warrior finally got his glory on the biggest stage with a rampant performance under Paul Townend. He won by an impressive eight and a half lengths and got the Festival’s winning most trainer, Willie Mullins, off the mark for the 2024 meeting, while it was his sixth win in the race in the last decade. For good measure, Mullins also saddled the third, Il Etait Temps, while Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty sandwiched the duo in second in another clean sweep for the Irish.

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