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 1954 Grade 1 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 ARMORIAL III R Emery Fulke Walwyn Mrs M de Pret-Roose 7/2 fav
2 CHATHAM T Moloney W Stephenson Mr C Knott 5/1
3 SHANDAGAN Mr E Cousins H Cousins Mr E Cousins 9/1
4 PONT CORDONNIER T Mabbutt Peter Thrale Captain A A Ansell 4/1
5 DIGBY DIVER Pat Taaffe Byers Ire Mrs R M Byers 100/7
6 PACKARD P G Madden Fulke Walwyn Miss Dorothy Paget 33/1
7 CHEWTON A Grantham de Moraville Mr J P Philipps 20/1
8 WEYMOUTH J Birch Mytton Mr S Pole-Carew 20/1
9 SOLAR CITY C Smithers Beeby Mr Basil Samuel 20/1
10 TWANG P Bristow J Ford Captain P R Young 33/1
11 PONDAPATARRI B O'Neill Yates Mr R Bee 20/1
12 VISTAL Jack Dowdeswell J Powell Mr Joseph Bennett 8/1
13 ABBOT'S IDOL R Morrow Fulke Walwyn Mrs G Janson 33/1
14 BAKED ALASKA Mr P Middleton Middleton Mr C Middleton 33/1
15 PERSIRAIN A Mullins M Watson Mrs T Murray-Watson 33/1
16 LINKSLADE Tim Brookshaw G R Owen Mr J D Pickering 33/1
17 DEAL PARK Dick Francis Peter Cazalet Mr John Rogerson 4/1
  Over round 144%

This race was staged on Wednesday 3rd March 1954 when Armorial III beat Chatham and Shandagan by 5 lengths and 10 lengths