Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Top 10 Facts

We have a list of the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Top 10 Facts

1. The Arkle Challenge Trophy was inaugurated in 1969, after Arkle’s three wins in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (1964-66). In its first year, the race was worth £1,365, and was won by Chatam (10/1), trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Terry Biddlecombe. The 2008 running has total prize money of £170,000. It was known as the Cotswold Chase before 1969.
2. The Irish Independent, which backed the Arkle Chase for the first time in 2000, is only the race’s third sponsor. Guinness sponsored from 1994 until 1999, having taken over from Waterford Castle, who had supported since the first sponsored running in 1991.
3. The Irish Independent Arkle Chase has always been a fiercely contested event, and the following have gone on to other Championship victories at The Festival: 2006 Voy Por Ustedes (Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2007) 2003 Azertyuiop (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2004) 2002 Moscow Flyer (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2003 & 2005) 1999 Flagship Uberalles (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2002) 1995 Klairon Davis (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 1996) 1991 Remittance Man (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 1992)
   1989 Waterloo Boy (2nd Queen Mother Champion Chase 1990, 1991 and 3rd 1992)
   1978 Alverton (Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner 1979). Alverton is the only horse to have won both The Irish Independent Arkle Chase and totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.
4. The lowest number of runners has been eight (1979,1984 & 1993) and the highest 19 (1987 & 2005) as the Arkle Chase - there were 25 runners in the Cotswold Chase in 1960.
5. The Irish Independent Arkle Chase has seen several trainers and jockeys run up strings of wins. Martin Pipe notched up successive wins with Or Royal in 1997 and Champleve in 1998 before Well Chief in 2004 and Contraband a year later gave him another brace of victories. Peter Easterby trained three winners - Alverton 1978, Clayside 1981 and Ryeman 1983. Among current trainers, Nicky Henderson leads the way with three successes (Remittance Man 1991, Travado 1993 and Tiutchev 2000), while both Paul Nicholls (Flagship Uberalles in 1999 and Azertyuiop in 2003) and Alan King,
   successful in the past two renewals with My Way De Solzen in 2007 and Voy Por Ustedes in 2006, boast a pair of victories. Among jockeys, Jamie Osborne won three times, via a hat-trick between 1992 and 1994 on Young Pokey, Travado, and Nakir for three different trainers, Oliver Sherwood, Nicky Henderson and Simon Christian. Tony McCoy equalled Osborne’s three wins in 2004 when scoring on Well Chief, having also been aboard Or Royal (1997) and Champleve (1998). Robert Thornton has ridden the last two winners, Voy Por Ustedes in 2006 and My Way De Solzen in 2007.
6. Irish trainers have won The Irish Independent Arkle Chase nine times, including three of the last 12 runnings with Klairon Davis (1995), Ventana Canyon (1996) and Moscow Flyer (2002).
7. The longest-priced winner of The Irish Independent Arkle Chase is Gala’s Image, successful at 25/1 in 1987, while Pendil (1972) and Chinrullah (1979) are the shortest-priced scorers at 10/11. Six other favourites have won - Canasta Lad (1974), Clayside (1981), Bobsline (1984), Remittance Man (1991), Klairon Davis (1995) and Azertyuiop (2003).
8. The fastest time for the two miles of The Irish Independent Arkle Chase was 3m 46.5s by Tiutchev in 2000, beating the previous best of 3m 52.5s set by Or Royal in 1997.
9. Until 1980, The Irish Independent Arkle Chase was always run on the Wednesday of the National Hunt Festival. It now takes place on the opening day, Tuesday.
10. Free bets are available on the Arkle Chase at Boylesports and Paddypower

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