Arkle Chase betting

The Arkle Chase is a Grade 1 race over 2m, which takes place on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival in March.

It’s the most prestigious race of the season for 2m novice chasers and Arkle Chase betting features the best horses from Britain and Ireland.

Ante-post Arkle Chase odds are available throughout the year. Many horses successful in the Arkle Chase go on to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Famous past winners of the Arkle include Flyingbolt (1965), Pendil (1972), Moscow Flyer (2002), Sprinter Sacre (2012) and Altior (2017).

Arkle Chase betting tips

Most recent winners of the Arkle Chase had won on their most recent outing, usually within 50 days of the Cheltenham Festival.

Previous form at Cheltenham is another useful factor to consider in your Arkle Chase tips. Around half of recent winners had previous winning form at the track and almost all had raced here.

Most Arkle Chase winners had winning form over hurdles before going chasing and at least three victories at 2m.

A previous win in a Grade 1 or Grade 2 race is another useful pointer for your Arkle Chase betting.

Three or more previous runs over fences with at least one victory is the typical winning profile. An official rating of 152 or higher is also normally required to win this race.

Nicky Henderson has a terrific record in the Arkle Chase. The Lambourn trainer first won it with Remittance Man (1991) and then again two years later with Travado. Tiutchev provided him with a third Arkle Chase winner in 2000.

Henderson trained the brilliant Sprinter Sacre to win this race in 2012, the winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2013 and 2016. Timeform rated Sprinter Sacre third in their all-time ratings behind only Arkle and Flyingbolt.

The grey Simonsig won the following year and Altior provided Henderson with a record sixth winner in 2017.

Henderson’s dominance of the race has been challenged in recent years by Willie Mullins. The leading Irish trainer has won here with Un De Sceaux (2015), Douvan (2016), Footpad (2018) and Duc des Genievres (2019).

Arkle Chase betting trends

Favourites have a very good recent record in the Arkle Chase. There were six winning favourites in seven years between 2012 and 2018. All were heavily backed ante-post Arkle Chase tips and returned odds-on.

Sprinter Sacre started the sequence at 8/11 followed by stable companion Simonsig (8/15). The winning run was interrupted by the shock 33/1 win for Western Warhorse in 2014. David Pipe’s gelding was driven up to catch joint-favourite Champagne Fever in the last stride.

The Arkle Chase favourite was back in the winners’ enclosure the following year, courtesy of Un De Sceaux (4/6). Douvan and Altior were both regarded as Cheltenham banker bets and returned 1/4 with Footpad (5/6), extending the dominance of the market leaders.

The race had a far more open look to it in 2019 and was won by third favourite Duc Des Genievres at 5-1.

Horses aged six and seven have fared best in the Arkle Chase. Only Moscow Flyer (2002) and Sizing Europe (2010) managed to win aged eight in a period of 28 years. Mature French or German-bred horses have won this race at the age of five, notably Voy Por Ustedes (2006) and Well Chief (2004).

Arkle Chase ante-post betting pointers

Footpad won the Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown prior to winning here in 2018. Willie Mullins followed the same route with Un De Sceaux and Douvan.

Altior won the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park and the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury before his victory in 2017. Nicky Henderson also trained Sprinter Sacre and Simonsig to win the Wayward Lad.

The two main options for Arkle Chase winners are Aintree or Punchestown for their next race.

Captain Chris (2011), Un De Sceaux (2015) and Footpad (2018) all won at Punchestown. Tidal Bay (2008), Sprinter Sacre (2012) and Douvan (2016) all followed up at Aintree. Altior went on to win the Celebration Chase at Sandown Park in 2017.

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is the big target for Arkle Chase winners the following season. Voy Por Ustedes, Sizing Europe, Sprinter Sacre and Altior all made the step up from novice grade to win the Champion Chase 12 months later.

Check William Hill promotions for the latest Arkle Chase odds and the latest special offers and price boosts.

Arkle Chase history and memorable winners

The Arkle Chase was first run as the Cotswold Chase in 1946 when it was won by Bright Penny. It was renamed in honour of the three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner in 1969.

The race moved from the second day to the opening day of the Festival in 1980.

Flyingbolt won this race by five lengths in 1965 and the Champion Chase in 1966. The remarkable gelding finished third in the Champion Hurdle just 24 hours after his Champion Chase victory.

He then showed incredible versatility to win the Irish Grand National over 3m2f carrying 12st 7lbs.

Alverton (1978) also proved to have stamina in reserve, going on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1979. Flagship Uberalles (1999) won the Arkle Chase at the age of five and went on to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2002. He also won the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase for three successive seasons (1999-2001).

Moscow Flyer (2002) was a great favourite with the Irish and featured in plenty of Arkle Chase bets. He won the Champion Chase in 2003 and 2005, but parted company with jockey Barry Geraghty in 2004. The race was won that year by another graduate from the Arkle in Azertyuiop.

Nicky Henderson’s duo of Sprinter Sacre and Altior have been the most recent superstars of National Hunt racing. Sprinter Sacre looked set to sweep all before him until his career was put on hold due to an irregular heartbeat. He eventually returned to claim a second Champion Chase crown in 2016, one of the most emotional victories in Cheltenham history.

Altior immediately took up the mantle of Henderson’s stable star, winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the Arkle and the Champion Chase in successive seasons. He then added a second Champion Chase in 2019, extending his unbeaten run to 18 races.

Arkle Chase 2021

Willie Mullins is likely to dominate the Arkle Chase betting as he seeks a fifth win in six years. He has a host of potential star novices to look forward to in 2021.

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Klassical Dream could go over the larger obstacles, although Mullins believes there could be more to come over hurdles.

Melon has finished runner-up in the last two Champion Hurdles and would certainly attract some Arkle Chase bets if going novice chasing. He has reserved his best form for the Cheltenham Festival and cheek-pieces brought about some improvement last time. A chasing career also beckons for Champion Hurdle fourth Laurina.

Those seeking an Arkle Chase tip will also look closely at Nicky Henderson’s entries. He’s still the leading trainer of all time in the Arkle with six winners. Henderson is unlikely to wait long before putting Champ over fences, runner-up to City Island in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. Angels Breath and We Have A Dream are others who could make their name over fences in 2021.

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