Arkle Challenge Chase (Cotswold Chase)
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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. |
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| Arkle Challenge Chase 2003 | Grade 1 | 2 miles | ||
| Pos. | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
| 1 | AZERTYUIOP | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | John Hales 5/4 fav |
| 2 | IMPEK | Jim Culloty | Henrietta Knight | Jim Lewis 6/1 |
| 3 | ISIO | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson | Sir Peter & Lady Gibbings 10/1 |
| 4 | FARMER JACK | Andrew Thornton | Seamus Mullins Ire | Peter Partridge 7/1 |
| 5 | HAND INN HAND | Richard Johnson | Henry Daly | Patrick Burling Developments 10/1 |
| 6 | STAGE AFFAIR | Barry Gerraghty | Dermot Weld Ire | Dr Michael Smurfitt 20/1 |
| 7 | RICARDO | G Cotter | Brian Nolan Ire | Pat Whelan 100/1 |
| F | ADAMANT APPROACH | Paul Carberry | Willie Mullins Ire | Greenstar Syndicate 7/1 |
| F | LE ROI MIGUEL | A P McCoy | Paul Nicholls | Mrs J Stewart 11/1 |
| Over round 116% | ||||
| This race was staged on Tuesday 11th March 2003 when Azertyuiop beat Impek and Isio by 11 lengths and 1 length | ||||
