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 2010 Grade 1 2 miles
Pos. Horse Jockey Trainer Owner
1 SIZING EUROPE A E Lynch Henry De Bromhead Ire Ann & Alan Potts 6/1
2 SOMERSBY Robert Thornton Henrietta Knight Mrs T P Radford 4/1
3 OSANA Andrew McNamara Eddie O'Grady Ire Thomas Barr 14/1
4 MAD MAX Paul Carberry Nicky Henderson Carole Skipworth, Paul Murphy 25/1
5 RIVERSIDE THEATRE Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson Jimmy Nesbitt Partnership 7/1
6 QUISCOVER FONTAINE Paul Townend Willie Mullins Ire B Doyle 22/1
7 KANGAROO COURT Jack Doyle Emma Lavelle Nicholas Mustoe 22/1
8 CAPTAIN CEE BEE A P McCoy Edward Harty John P McManus 5/2 fav
9 FOSTERS CROSS Davy Russell Thomas Mullins Ire Patrick O'Donovan 50/1
10 I'M DELILAH Graham Lee Ferdy Murphy C S Johnston 25/1
11 SPORTS LINE Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins Ire TKPP Syndicate 17/2
12 WOOLCOMBE FOLLY Nick Schofield Paul Nicholls Hon Mrs Townshend 25/1
  Over round 115%
This race was staged on Tuesday 16th March 2010 when Sizing Europe beat Somersby and Osana by 3/4 length and 1 3/4 lengths