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 1956 Grade 1 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 SIR KEN T Moloney W Stephenson Mr M Kingsley 5/4 fav
2 BOB TAILED 'UN Jack Dowdeswell T H Yates Mr E Bee 10/1
3 OASIS T Shone D O'Brien Mr D O'Brien 33/1
4 MIRABILE Tom Taaffe Taaffe Ire 2/1
5 EASTERN CHANCE Mr Martin Tate W Tate 33/1
6 THE DABSTER Fred Winter J Beary 100/7
7 LILT OF THE PIPES J Renfree Renfree 33/1
8 KING'S COUNCILLOR Dave Dick Fulke Walwyn 25/1
9 NEWCOMBE LAD J Burton R Nightingall 33/1
10 GILES T Cussack Bill Marshall 33/1
11 PAPAL MONARCH R Morrow Kilpatrick 33/1
12 CHEERFUL ASPECT Reg Akehurst D Marks 33/1
F BACK SLIDER D Leslie Leslie 33/1
F PORT APRIL J Gale R M Day 33/1
F OSCAR WILDE R J Hamey McMullen 33/1
F LORD RANGER Tim Brookshaw Fred Rimell 100/6
F POWERLESS P Cowley J G Jones 33/1
  Over round 133%

This race was staged on Wednesday 7th March 1956 when Sir Ken beat Bob Taile 'Un and Oasis by 2 lengths and 3 lengths