Cheltenham Arkle
The second race of the Cheltenham Festival is named after one of its most famous competitors, Arkle. Run over exactly two miles of the Cheltenham Racecourse the Arkle requires both speed and good jumping technique to compete well and the form book is often a good racing guide. Analysis of recent Arkle winners points towards entrants coming to Cheltenham on the back of an impressive season. Shocks in the Arkle are few and far between and the Cheltenham Betting market favourites usually perform well.| Cheltenham Festival Odds - Tuesday March 11th 2008 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2.00pm | Supreme Novices Hurdle Betting Odds | Free Bets |
| 2.35pm | Arkle Challenge Trophy Betting Odds | Free Bets |
| 3.15pm | Champion Hurdle Betting Odds | Free Bets |
| 4.00pm | William Hill Trophy Betting Odds | Free Bets |
| 4.40pm | Cross Country Steeple Chase Betting Odds | Free Bets |
| 5.20pm | Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle Odds | Free Bets |
The fields for the Arkle tend to be smaller than most of the other horse races at Cheltenham, but what it lacks in numbers is more than equalled by quality. Strong Irish challenges are often present for this race but within the last ten years the form book leans heavily towards entrants trained by Martin Pipe.
The feature event of the first day at Cheltenham is the third race - the Champion Hurdle.
Arkle Steeplechase 2008 Results
Noland went off favourite at 7/4. Tony McCoy went off in front on Kruguyrova and coming down the hill Tidal Bay, Noland and Thyne Again all came there on the bridal. But this race was won in great style by Tidal Bay who powered up the hill to win in great style.
1435 - Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Result 2008
1. Tidal Bay (D O’Regan) 6/1
2. Kruguyrova (A.P. McCoy) 9/1
3. Noland (R Walsh) 7/4 Fav
14 ran
Arkle Steeplechase 2007 Results
The Arkle drama unfolded at the second last when Don't Push it and Twist magic both came down and Fair Along was badly hampered, even My Way De Solzen made a mistake but his stamina told in the end as he went by Jack the Giant round the bend and jumped clear at the last to win from a staying on Fair Along. This was a race of what might have been but the name of the game is jumping.1435 - Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy Result 2007
1. My Way de Solzen (R Thornton) 7-2
2. Fair Along (R Johnson) 10-3 fav
3.Jack The Giant (M Fitzgerald) 14-1
13 ran
Arkle Steeplechase 2006 Results
The Arkle looked a real puzzler coming into the race with any of the 14 runners standing a chance of wining, however this is not how it worked out as Voy Por Ustedes and Monet's Garden set out at a fierce pace and never let up and made it a 2 horse race with Voy Por getting the upper hand in over the final flight with a great leap and stayed on strongly to the line. It is expected that the runner up will do very well in future Cheltenham Festival Betting over a longer trip.1. Voy Por Ustedes (R Thornton) 15-2
2. Monet's Garden (A Dobbin) 8-1
3. Foreman (AP McCoy) 5-1
14 ran. Dist: 1¼, 5
Arkle Steeplechase 2005 Results
The Martin Pipe - David Johnson combination came good again with the progressive Contraband running down the game Ashley Brook after the last fence. Had Ashley Brook not made and error at the last then he may have held on. The key question is will Contraband go on and become a key player for next years champion chase and follow in the hoof steps of his stable mate - Well Chief.1. Contraband (TJ Murphy) 7/1 2F
2. Ashley Brook (PJ Brennan)
3. River City (T Doyle)10/1
Arkle Steeplechase 2004 Results
Well Chief gave the partnership between Tony McCoy and Martin Pipe a boost with a victory over Irish challenger Kicking King in the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy. It was only Well Chief's second race over fences, but his trainer won the Sun Alliance Chase with the similarly inexperienced Rolling Ball and this five-year-old proved well up to coping with this contest, his only notable jumping blemish coming when he overjumped at the fifth. That was a symptom of his keenness - both going down and in the race - but he was settled by McCoy - helped by the decent pace - and gradually crept closer before coming through to lead after two out. He soon went clear before idling slightly but held on bravely.The 2003 Supreme Novices Hurdle second Kicking King showed himself at least as good a chaser with a very decent effort, always chasing the pace and keeping on well. He coped well with these fences and is well up to winning another big novices' event this spring. Longer-term, he has a bright future when stepped up in trip - he shapes as though longer distances will suit.
