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 1976 Grade 1 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 ROARING WIND Reg Crank B Cambridge Mr S Jones 11/1
2 CANCELLO D Atkins Neville Crump Major W Burdon 10/1
3 TROUBLED TIMES Dessie Hughes McCreery Ire Mrs Carvill 4/1 fav
4 ZONGALERO Ian Watkinson Thomson Jones Mr D Montagu 11/2
5 WAYWARD SCOT John Francome Fred Winter Mrs B Stein 13/2
6 GOLDEN WHIN Tommy Carberry Jim Dreaper Ire Anne, Duchess of Westminster 8/1
7 EARLY SPRING Andy Turnell Bob Tunell Mr John Rogerson 10/1
8 SANTON BRIG Michael Dickinson A Dickinson Mrs B Stein 15/1
9 MASTER H Philip Blacker Ken Oliver Mr W Davies 18/1
10 THE SHINING LAD Tommy Stack Jimmy Fitzgerald Mr J O'Riordan 25/1
11 BACHELORS HALL Jeff King Peter Cundell Mr Peter Harris 33/1
12 SYCAMORE Bob Champion Josh Gifford Lady Rootes 33/1
13 STAY BELL Ron Barry Mrs Chesmore Sir Hugh Fraser 33/1
14 PERAMBULATE S May David Barons Mrs D Meats 33/1
15 GRANGEWOOD GIRL B R Davies Mrs Finch Mr J Charlton 33/1
16 THE NORSEMAN Barry Brogan Jenks Mrs W Jenks 33/1
  Over round 122%

This race was staged on Wednesday 17th March 1976 when Roaring Wind beat Cancello and Troubled Times by 2 1/2 lengths and 4 lengths