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 1961 Grade 1 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 MOUNTCASHEL KING Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper Ire Mr J Glyn 2/5 fav
2 ROUGH TWEED H J East Neville Crump Mr S Green 100/6
3 SILVER DOME W Rees Peter Cazalet HM Queen Elizabeth 50/1
4 ZAMOSC J R Gamble S Warren Mr J Bennett 25/1
5 BRIEF SPARKLE T A Barnes Dixon Mr J Fawcett 50/1
6 MAGIC ORB Tim Brookshaw Kilpatrick Mrs T Garratt 100/8
7 IVANHOE COURT David Nicholson E Cousins Mrs R Eastwood 50/1
8 QUEEN OF THE MAY Fred Winter Nesfield Lady Rootes 100/7
9 PRUDENT BARNEY H Beasley Bobby Renton Mrs L Brotherton 50/1
10 CLOUGHER HERO Stan Mellor Gilman Mr F Gilman 50/1
11 SOKORA Michael Scudamore F Cundell Lt-Comm H Kidston 50/1
12 SILVER MARK P Cowley Bates Mr T Bates 100/7
  Over round 114%

This race was staged on Wednesday 8th March 1961 when Mountcashel King beat Rough Tweed and Silver Dome by 5 lengths and 3 lengths