Tuesday 10 March 2026 | 14:00 | Cheltenham Old Course | 1m 7f 199y | Grade 1
Raw speed, slick jumping, and barely a moment to breathe for two miles of flat-out novice chasing. Welcome to the race that has launched legends.
The 2026 renewal of the Arkles Novices' Chase looks every bit as mouth-watering as its predecessors, with a fascinating tactical battle brewing between the front-running Supreme Novices' hurdle champion and a quietly ruthless improver who's been compared – carefully, but credibly – to one of the greatest two-mile chasers of the modern era.
Trends
Key Arkle Chase Trends Every Punter Should Know
The Arkle is one of the most market-reliable races of the entire Festival – and the trends are worth studying before you put your hand in your pocket:
Market Reliability: 18 of the last 20 winners were in the top three in the betting – this is one of the most market-reliable races of the entire Festival.
Prep Run: 10 of the last 12 winners won their final prep run before Cheltenham – horses who arrive cold are rarely rewarded.
Experience: Every single winner in the last 12 years had at least one previous chase win under their belt.
Age Profile: Every winner in the last 12 years has been aged 6, 7, or 8. No 5-year-old has won since Voy Por Ustedes in 2006 – nearly 20 years ago. Lulamba faces a significant historical headwind.
Class Level: 15 of the last 17 winners had already won a Grade 1 over fences before arriving at Cheltenham – this race ruthlessly exposes horses without elite credentials.
Favourites: 8 of the last 12 winners were sent off as the market favourite – follow the money.
What does all this mean for 2026? The two main questions hanging over this race are: Can Lulamba become the first 5-year-old winner in nearly 20 years? And does Kopek Des Bordes have enough in the tank, having missed his prep run?
Betting Odds
Arkle Challenge Trophy 2026 – Betting Odds
Horse | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Kopek Des Bordes | 11/8 | 42.1% |
Lulamba | 13/8 | 38.1% |
Kargese | 11/2 | 15.4% |
Steel Ally | 12/1 | 7.7% |
Jax Junior | 20/1 | 4.5% |
Hansard | 66/1 | 1.5% |
Non-Runner: Mambonumberfive (was 33/1) – confirmed scratch. | ||
Runner-by-Runner Guide
Runner-by-Runner Analysis
Kopek Des Bordes – 11/8 – Favourite | Trainer: Willie Mullins | Form: 111-41
The Case For
- The reigning Supreme Novices' Hurdle champion – proven at the top level at this very track.
- Won his chase debut at Navan by a stunning 13 lengths. Willie Mullins described his jumping as "spellbinding".
- Has the natural pace and jumping fluency that the Arkle demands, and arrives as a worthy favourite.
The Case Against
- Missed his intended prep run at the Dublin Racing Festival – a significant red flag. Ten of the last 12 winners won their final prep run, and Kopek hasn't even had one.
- A free-going front-runner who could face a genuine battle for the lead, which may unsettle his rhythm.
- Mullins' recent Arkle winners have arrived in tip-top condition off solid prep runs. This is uncharted territory for the yard's number one.
Lulamba | 13/8 | 2nd Favourite | Trainer: Nicky Henderson | Form: 2-1111 | NAP
The Case For
- Unbeaten in three chase starts, including two graded victories – the form is immaculate.
- His jumping style is economical – perfectly suited to the demanding Arkle fences at speed.
- Henderson took the same route with Altior: pitched him into open company for the Game Spirit at Newbury before Cheltenham – and Lulamba rose to that challenge in fine style.
- Beaten just a neck in last year's Triumph Hurdle, he then comprehensively reversed that form with Poniros at Punchestown. This is a horse who keeps improving.
- At 13/8, the Money Back 2nd to SP Fav offer at BOYLE Sports makes him an even more attractive proposition – you're covered if the favourite edges it.
The Case Against
- At just 5 years old, he faces a significant historical headwind – no 5-year-old has won this race since Voy Por Ustedes in 2006, nearly 20 years ago. Every winner in the last 12 years has been aged 6 or older.
- Can take time to warm into his races, which is a risk at the intense, unrelenting pace of the Arkle.
Kargese | 11/2 | Trainer: Willie Mullins | Form: 213-212
The Case For
- A 6-year-old mare who benefits from a 7lb weight allowance – that's a significant advantage at this level.
- A Festival winner last year and has been consistently placed (form: 213-212) – she knows how to perform on the big occasion.
- At 11/2 with the Money Back offer in play, she's an intriguing each-way option.
The Case Against
- Made a costly mistake in her last race that almost certainly cost her the win – she needs a clear round to mix it with the elite male novices.
- Needs things to go perfectly to beat the top two in the market.
Steel Ally | 12/1 | Trainer: S Thomas | Form: P2P-111 | Each-Way Pick
The Case For
- Arrives on the back of a hat-trick of wins – form couldn't be hotter.
- Rated top on Top Speed figures – if the race is run at a proper gallop, his stamina-laden speed could be the decisive factor.
- A former high-class hurdler making his way in novice chases – experience counts.
- At 12/1 each-way (1/4 odds, 2 places) with BOYLE Sports, the returns are attractive.
The Case Against
- At 8 years old, he's outside the typical age profile – older horses are very rarely seen winning here.
- Faces a significant step up in class from the races he's been winning.
Jax Junior | 20/1 |Trainer: L Wadham | Form: 1-21411
The Case For
- A nimble, quick-footed jumper who has won his last two starts. Relishes drying ground and left-handed tracks – both boxes ticked at Cheltenham.
- Intriguing collateral form: he beat Miami Magic easily at Kempton, and Miami Magic subsequently chased home Kala Conti, who spanked Kargese. That form line suggests Jax Junior may be closer to Kargese's level than the 20/1 vs 11/2 market gap implies.
The Case Against
- This is a massive step up from handicap company into a Grade 1. Of the last 17 winners, 15 had already won a Grade 1 over fences – Jax Junior has not.
Hansard | 66/1 | Trainer: G & J Moore | Form: 097-412
The Case For
- Showed improvement when finishing second to the now-withdrawn Mambonumberfive in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad – not without ability.
The Case Against
- The odds reflect the gap in class. A lively outsider for interest only.
Arkle Tips
Arkle Chase Tips – 2026 Cheltenham Festival
This is shaping up to be one of the races of the Festival, and the storyline writes itself. On one side, the flashy Supreme Novices' champion arriving without a prep run, full of raw ability but short on chasing mileage.
On the other hand, a quietly relentless improver who has done everything asked of him, jumps like a seasoned professional, and has been prepared by a trainer who has won this race eight times.
The key question is simple: Do you trust Kopek Des Bordes without his prep run, or do you back the horse who has been ticking every box?
NAP
NAP: Lulamba (13/8)
The Altior comparison isn't being made lightly. Henderson took the same careful, deliberate route – Exeter, Sandown, Game Spirit at Newbury – and the results have spoken for themselves. Three chase starts, three wins, jumping that has been described as slick and economical, and a trainer who knows exactly what it takes to win this race.
The 13 fences at Cheltenham will come at him thick and fast, but nothing in his profile suggests he'll be found wanting. Yes, the fact that no 5-year-old has won this race since 2006 gives slight pause – but Lulamba's form, jumping, and preparation trump that concern.
He is the horse who ticks every box, and at 13/8 he is our NAP for Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival.
Each-Way Tip
Each-Way: Steel Ally (12/1)
The hat-trick form is strong, the Top Speed figures are the best in the race, and at 12/1 each-way the value is genuine. He is an older horse stepping into elite company for the first time, but his class as a former high-calibre hurdler gives him more of a profile than most at this price.
If the front two have any issues – Kopek's pace burning him out early, Lulamba taking time to warm into the race – Steel Ally is the horse most likely to be there to pick up the pieces. At 1/4 odds for two places, he makes plenty of appeal in the frame.
This is a race that rewards horses who arrive prepared, proven, and jumping well. Lulamba ticks all three. Back him with confidence – and make sure you use the Money Back 2nd to SP Fav offer at BOYLE Sports to give yourself a safety net if Kopek Des Bordes has other ideas at the line.
Don't Forget: Back Lulamba with the Money Back 2nd to SP Fav offer at BOYLE Sports. If Kopek Des Bordes goes off favourite and beats him by a nose, you'll get your stake back. It's the smart way to play what is set to be the most exciting race of the opening day.
Arkle Betting Offers
BOYLE Sports Betting Offers for the Arkle Novices’ Chase
Before you place your bets, make sure you're taking full advantage of what BOYLE Sports has on offer for the Arkle:
Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG): If the SP is bigger than the price you took, you get paid out at the bigger price. Always take an early price with BOG – you've got nothing to lose.
Money Back 2nd to SP Favourite: If your selection finishes second to the SP favourite, you get your stake back as a free bet. With Kopek Des Bordes likely to go off favourite, this makes Lulamba (13/8) and Kargese (11/2) particularly attractive – you're protected if the market leader pips you at the line.
Each-Way Terms: 1/4 odds for the first two places. With only two places paid out, make sure your each-way selection has a genuine chance of hitting the frame – Steel Ally at 12/1 is our recommended play here.
What Is The Arkle?
What is the Arkle Challenge Trophy?
The Arkle Challenge Trophy is the Grade 1 novices' chase run over 1m 7f 199y on Cheltenham's Old Course – the second race on Day 1 of the Festival and one of the most prestigious novice chases in the entire National Hunt calendar.
Horses face 13 fences at breakneck speed, with standard weight set at 11st 7lb and a 7lb allowance for mares . The prize fund stands at approximately £200,000, with £112,540 going to the winner.
Named after the legendary Arkle – the incomparable three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner of the 1960s – the race has long been the defining test for the best novice chasers at the minimum trip. It is, in short, the race that tells you who the next Queen Mother Champion Chase contender might be.
Arkle History
History, Prestige & The Trainers' Duel
The Arkle's alumni list reads like a who's who of two-mile chasing royalty. Sprinter Sacre. Altior. Shishkin. Each of them won here as a novice before going on to dominate the Queen Mother Champion Chase. That's the weight of expectation that arrives with this trophy – and why connections dream of winning it.
In recent years, the race has become a battleground for just two trainers:
Nicky Henderson holds the all-time record with 8 Arkle wins , most recently Jango Baie in 2025, and enters 2026 as the trainer of the market's most interesting runner.
Willie Mullins has won two of the last three renewals (Gaelic Warrior in 2024 and El Fabiolo in 2023), accumulating 6 wins in the race in total, and his raiders have an almost unnerving habit of arriving at Cheltenham in peak condition.
This year, Henderson holds what many believe to be the stronger hand – but Mullins, as always, won't be far away.
Bet on Cheltenham Festival Odds at BOYLE Sports
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