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 1981 Grade 1 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 CLAYSIDE Alan Brown M H Easterby Mrs D Grant 5/2 fav
2 SPINNING SAINT S Shields S Shields Ire Mr B Babbage 40/1
3 SOINTULLA BOY Mr Tim Houlbrooke Mrs H Houlbrooke Mr S H Houlbrooke 12/1
4 ROYAL DIPPER Mr J Fowler J Fowler Ire Mr E Daly 11/4
5 TACROY L O'Donnell M J O'Brien Ire Mr E Tunney 9/2
6 WILL BOREEN M Mulligan Bill Durkan Ire Mr A Durkan 20/1
7 BOLD ARGUMENT D Davies R Blakeney Mr H G Price 14/1
8 PRAYUKTA John Francome Fred Winter Mrs I Macauley 8/1
9 ROYAL FRIEND Martin O'Halloran M Salaman Mr D Fitzgerald 33/1
F BEECHEY BANK A Holder Bob Turnell Mr H Joel 40/1
F MILLIONDOLLARMAN R F Davies W Jenks Mrs P Shaw 33/1
PU ALICK Mr Tim Easterby M H Easterby Mr S Childs 28/1
F FOXBAT S Lynch C Ronaldson Ire Mr A Kennedy 12/1
  Over round 124%

This race was staged on Tuesday 17th March 1981 when Clayside beat Spinning Saint and Sointulla Boy by 5 lengths and 2 lengths