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.
Arkle Challenge Chase 1999 Grade 1 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 FLAGSHIP UBERALLES Joe Tizzard Paul Nicholls E Gutner & M Krystzofiak 11/1
2 TRESOR DE MAI Richard Dunwoody Martin Pipe Joe Moran 14/1
3 NIPPER REED Adrian Maguire Rod Simpson G Piper 10/1
4 GRIS D'ESTRUVAL A P McCoy Martin Pipe Johnson Family 5/1
5 HIS SONG J R Barry Mouse Morris Ire David Lloyd 4/1 fav
6 COCKNEY LAD Paul Carberry Noel Meade Ire D Daly 25/1
7 AGHAWADDA GOLD J Callaghan Tom Tate The Ivy Syndicate 6/1
8 ADVOCAT Norman Williamson Noel Meade Ire High Street Racing Syndicate 33/1
9 GAZALANI Tommy Treacy Patrick O'Brady Ire Miss Rita Shah 66/1
10 NATIVE- DARRIG David Casey Willie Mullins Ire William Kerwin 16/1
11 NON VINTAGE W Worthington Michael Chapman Alan Mann 250/1
12 WYNYARD KNIGHT Peter Niven Mrs Mary Reveley Sir John Hall 9/1
PU MAKOUNJI Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson Robert Waley-Cohen 9/2
UR FEATHERED LEADER Conor O'Dwyer Arthur Moore Ire M D O'Connor 40/1
  Over round 121%
This race was staged on Tuesday 16th March 1999 when Flagship Uberalles beat Tresor De Mai and Nipper Reed by 2 1/2 lengths and 14 lengths