Arkle Challenge Trophy
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The Arkle Challenge Trophy is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom for five-year-old and above novices run over a distance of 2 miles (3,219 metres) at Cheltenham Racecourse during the Cheltenham Festival in March. There are twelve fences to be jumped in the race.
It was given its present name in 1969 to honour the racehorse Arkle, a three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Prior to this the race had been known as the Cotswold Chase.
Since 1991, five winners of the race have gone on to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase, while a further five winners have been placed. This contrasts heavily with the situation beforehand. Only Flyingbolt had gone on to win the Champion Chase (started in 1959). The 1979 Arkle winner passed the post first in the following year's Champion Chase only to be disqualified some time after the event because of a positive drugs test.
[edit] Trivia
- 1956 Sir Ken was a previous triple Champion Hurdle winner.
- 1978 Alverton went on to win the following year's Cheltenham Gold Cup.
[edit] Winners
- Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
| 1946 | Bright Penny | 6 | Glen Kelly | Bobby Norris |
| 1947 race cancelled because of snow and frost | ||||
| 1948 | Top Cash | 6 | Glen Kelly | Bobby Norris |
| 1949 | Grand Refrain | 5 | Glen Kelly | Bobby Norris |
| 1950 | High Level | 5 | Johnny Bullock | Fred Rimell |
| 1951 | Red Steel | 5 | Dick Francis | Frank Cundell |
| 1952 | Nautical Print | 5 | Tommy Cusack | Gerry Wilson |
| 1953 | Bramble Tudor | 5 | Tim Molony | Stewart Wight |
| 1954 | Armorial III | 5 | Rene Emery | Fulke Walwyn |
| 1955 | Manuscrit | 5 | Johnny Bullock | Fulke Walwyn |
| 1956 | Sir Ken | 9 | Tim Molony | Willie Stephenson |
| 1957 | Ballyatom | 5 | Mr Bob McCreery | George Beeby |
| 1958 | Fortria | 6 | Tom Taaffe | Tom Dreaper |
| 1959 | Flame Gun | 8 | Fred Winter | Charlie Mallon |
| 1960 | Mazurka | 6 | Ron Harrison | Ron Smyth |
| 1961 | Mountcashel King | 6 | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper |
| 1962 | Prudent Barney | 8 | Johnny East | Bobby Renton |
| 1963 | Ben Stack | 6 | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper |
| 1964 | Greektown | 8 | Michael Scudamore | Willie Stephenson |
| 1965 | Flyingbolt | 6 | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper |
| 1966 | Arctic Sunset | 6 | George Milburn | Ken Oliver |
| 1967 | Arctic Stream | 7 | Ben Hannon | Pat Rooney |
| 1968 | The Hustler | 6 | Barry Brogan | Earl Jones |
| 1969 | Chatham | 5 | Terry Biddlecombe | Fred Rimell |
| 1970 | Soloning | 5 | Paul Kelleway | Fred Winter |
| 1971 | Alpheus | 6 | Eddie Wright | Tom Dreaper |
| 1972 | Pendil | 7 | Richard Pitman | Fred Winter |
| 1973 | Denys Adventure | 8 | Graham Thorner | Tim Forster |
| 1974 | Canasta Lad | 8 | Jeff King | Peter Bailey |
| 1975 | Broncho II | 6 | Colin Tinkler | Tony Dickinson |
| 1976 | Roaring Wind | 8 | Reg Crank | Roy Cambidge |
| 1977 | Tip the Wink | 7 | Dessie Hughes | Pat Taylor |
| 1978 | Alverton | 8 | Graham Thorner | Peter Easterby |
| 1979 | Chinrullah | 7 | Dessie Hughes | Mick O'Toole |
| 1980 | Anaglogs Daughter | 7 | Tommy Carberry | Bill Durkan |
| 1981 | Clayside | 7 | Alan Brown | Peter Easterby |
| 1982 | The Brockshee | 7 | Tommy Carberry | Arthur Moore |
| 1983 | Ryeman | 6 | Alan Brown | Peter Easterby |
| 1984 | Bobsline | 8 | Frank Berry | Francis Flood |
| 1985 | Boreen Prince | 8 | Niall Madden | Andrew McNamara |
| 1986 | Oregon Trail | 6 | Ronnie Beggan | Simon Christian |
| 1987 | Gala's Image | 7 | Richard Linley | Mercy Rimell |
| 1988 | Danish Flight | 9 | Mark Dwyer | Jimmy FitzGerald |
| 1989 | Waterloo Boy | 6 | Richard Dunwoody | David Nicholson |
| 1990 | Commandante | 8 | Peter Hobbs | Josh Gifford |
| 1991 | Remittance Man | 7 | Richard Dunwoody | Nicky Henderson |
| 1992 | Young Pokey | 7 | Jamie Osbourne | Oliver Sherwood |
| 1993 | Travado | 7 | Jamie Osbourne | Nicky Henderson |
| 1994 | Nakir | 6 | Jamie Osbourne | Simon Christian |
| 1995 | Klairon Davis | 6 | Francis Woods | Arthur Moore |
| 1996 | Ventana Canyon | 7 | Richard Dunwoody | Edward O'Grady |
| 1997 | Or Royal | 6 | A. P. McCoy | Martin Pipe |
| 1998 | Champleve | 5 | A. P. McCoy | Martin Pipe |
| 1999 | Flagship Uberalles | 5 | Joe Tizzard | Paul Nicholls |
| 2000 | Tiutchev | 7 | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson |
| 2001 race cancelled because of foot and mouth crisis | ||||
| 2002 | Moscow Flyer | 8 | Barry Geraghty | Jessica Harrington |
| 2003 | Azertyuiop | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2004 | Well Chief | 5 | A. P. McCoy | Martin Pipe |
| 2005 | Contraband | 7 | Timmy Murphy | Martin Pipe |
| 2006 | Voy Por Ustedes | 5 | Robert Thornton | Alan King |
