Arkle Challenge Chase (Cotswold Chase)

 The Arkle Challenge Trophy is a Grade 1 race open to 5-year-olds and above and is run on the Old Course over 2 miles and 13 fences. The race, named in honour of the Gold Cup winner Arkle, is for novices and is traditionally run as the second race on the opening day of the Festival, but was first introduced into the Festival programme in 1969 as a replacement for the Cotswold Chase, a race which was first run at the Festival in 1923 and still exists today, but is no longer part of the Festival programme.
Early history:-The inaugural running of the Arkle Challenge Chase took place on Wednesday 19th March 1969 and was won by Chatham (10/1) trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Terry Biddlecombe, beating Straight Fort (5/1) and King Dolphin (20/1) by 2 lengths and 8 lengths.

Over the entire history of the race 28% of favourites have been successful, placing the race 12th of the 28 current races.
Over the entire history of the race a level stake bet of £10 on every favourite would have resulted in a £270 loss, placing the race 26th of the current 28 races.
Over the entire history of the race the Irish have been successful 17% of occasions, placing the race 22nd of the 28 current races.
Cotswold Chase 1927 Grade 1 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 SPEAR O' WAR F Rees G Bennett Lord Queenborough 4/1
2 BROCKTON Speck D Harrison Mrs C Williams 100/7
3 GREGALACH Moloney Coulthwaite Mr T Laidlaw 9/4 fav
4 CAMP BED Foster F A Brown Mr H Clegg 6/1
5 SANDY HOOK Leader T Leader Mr J Hull 100/7
6 FIDDLE PIN T Morgan Barrett Major Barrett 100/7
7 PRINCE ROWLAND L McCarthy Withington Captain F Bibby 100/7
8 BALLYHANWOOD L Rees Blair Mr M Blair 100/7
9 SLIEVE RUE W Payne Hastings Mr W J Gresson 7/1
10 MALLOW II R Evans Knight Mr H Knight 100/7
11 LADY OAKENCLOUGH W Gurney Sanday Mrs Tilleard 100/7
12 WILD DUKE T Duggan D Harrison Sir David Cooper 10/1
13 FOOTER G Hardy F Hartigan Mr W Savill 100/7
  Over round 142%
This race was staged on Wednesday 9th March 1927 when Spear O' War beat Brockton and Gregalach by 4 lengths and 2 lengths