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 2002 Grade 1 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 MOSCOW FLYER Barry Geraghty Mrs Jessica Harrington Brian Kearney 11/2
2 SEEBALD A P McCoy Martin Pipe Macca & Growler Partnership 5/2 fav
3 ARMATURK Timmy Murphy Paul Nicholls B C Marshall 8/1
4 TRUCKERS TAVERN John McNamara Ferdy Murphy Mrs M B Scholey 11/1
5 FONDMORT Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson W J Brown 4/1
6 ASSESSED Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins Ire Festival Syndicate 25/1
7 BARTON Tony Dobbin Tim Easterby Sir Stanley Clarke 9/2
8 KADARANN Joe Tizzard Paul Nicholls Notalottery 16/1
9 EI EI W Worthington Michael Chapman Mrs S M Richards 100/1
10 YOULNEVERWALKALONE Conor O'Dwyer Christy Roche Ire John P McManus 10/1
F JARDIN DE BEAULIEU David Dennis Ian Williams Mr & Mrs John Poynton 100/1
PU IL'ATHOU Henry Oliver Simon Sherwood Lady Thompson 20/1
  Over round 128%
This race was staged on Tuesday 12th March 2002 when Moscow Flyer beat Seebald and Armaturk by 4 lengths and 13 lengths