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 1977 Grade 1 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 TIP THE WINK Dessie Hughes P Taylor Mr M Simmonds 15/2
2 SIBERIAN SUN Ron Barry F Flood Ire Mrs M Herring 3/1 jt fav
3 MALFORD GROVE Reg Crank Birch Mr J Parker 12/1
4 PERSIAN MAJESTY I Gebble S Matthews Mrs J Gibson 22/1
5 JULIAN SWIFT B R Davies David Morley Sir W Pennington-Ramsden 7/1
6 FLITGROVE Jeff King David Nicholson Lord Vestey 3/1 jt fav
7 DOUBLE SLAVE Steve Smith-Eccles Wardle Mr A Greig 20/1
8 RAJMATAJ C Read Haynes Mr M Barrett 50/1
F DO JUSTICE Tommy Stack David Nicholson Mr Gavin Pritchard-Gordon 14/1
UR MISS BOON John Francome R Head Comtesse J de Brye 7/1
  Over round 112%

This race was staged on Wednesday 16th March 1977 when Tip The Wink beat Siberian Sun and Malford Grove by 7 lengths and a head