Arkle Chase Predictions, Betting Tips & Odds (Cheltenham 2025 - DAY 1)
- Written by David Bet
The Arkle Novices' Chase is the champion two mile chase for novices. A race for the speedsters, with many former top hurdlers taking this route. The Arkle provides a total of twelve fences for the competitors to tackle which can be a tough ask for these novice chasers as the contest is generally run at a quick pace. Last year Willie Mullins' Gaelic Warrior justified 2/1 favoritism scoring an impressive victory. Who will win this year? Read below our Arkle Challenge race preview with free predictions, tips, betting trends, best odds, free bets and no deposit bonuses on the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
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ARKLE CHASE BETTING PREVIEW
Known as the Champion Chase for novices, the Arkle Trophy is one of the main races on day one of the Cheltenham Festival, boasting a prize fund of over £200,000. This race has been won in the past by the likes of Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop, Sizing Europe, Altior and Sprinter Sacre, all of whom went on to land the Champion Chase at subsequent Festivals. Gaelic Warrior cruised to a stylish victory in 2024 for trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Paul Townend, staying on powerfully ahead of top contenders Found a Fifty and Il Etait temps.
As with all other races on Day 1, the Arkle Novices' Chase is run left-handed on the Old Course at Cheltenham. It is open to novice chasers and is for five-year-olds and upwards.
And now we take a closer look at this year's My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase and try to determine which horse is likely to prevail.
Who will win the Arkle Chase 2025?
The Nicky Henderson-trained odds-on favourite for the Arkle SIR GINO has been ruled out of the season and potentially beyond with a long road to recovery.
With Sir Gino sadly ruled out, Willie Mullins will be looking to make it 3 in a row with the well regarded MAJBOROUGH, the horse that landed last year's Triumph Hurdle. He has gone 2-2 over fences so far winning by 6 and a half lengths on chase debut at Fairyhouse before following up by 9 lengths at the Dublin Racing Festival. He's the class horse in this race.
In the absence of Sir Gino, L'EAU DU SUD has become Britain's No 1 hope. And he's got off to a flawless start, winning key trials along the way. Dan Skelton's ncharge has jumped brilliantly this season, winning all four of his starts over fences, including in a Grade Two at Cheltenham’s November Meeting, the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown and the Kingmaker at Warwick.
Nicky Henderson's JANGO BAIE recorded fluent 6½-length win over Springwell Bay, with Caldwell Potter beaten an aggregate of 13 lengths into third over the bigger obstacles at Prestbury Park in December.
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Dark Horses?
ONLY BY NIGHT has interesting odds. The mare is yet to taste defeat over fences and gets the 7lb allowance. She obviously has the Mares’ Chase as an option but connections might fancy their chances here.
TOUCH ME NOT should run here, despite having several handicap entries. He confirmed the promise of his debut over fences when an all-the-way winner of a Grade Two contest at Punchestown in November, and finished second to both Majborough (in the Irish Arkle) and L'Eau Du Sud (in the Henry VIII at Sandown) in Grade Ones.
LATEST ODDS
At the moment, the most backed horses are the following:
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ARKLE CHASE TRENDS
- 10 of the last 13 favorites won
- 9 of the last 13 winners were unbeaten
- 14 of the last 15 winners won on their last run before the Arkle Chase
- 11 of the last 17 winners were officially top rated
- 15 of the last 19 winners had won at least twice over fences before
- 16 of the last 18 winners have been aged six or seven.
ARKLE CHASE PREDICTIONS
Find below our betting tips on the Arkle 2025. Feel free to copy our Cheltenham predictions and get the best odds available on the market by clicking the 'Bet' button!
Ruby Walsh's Arkle Chase Tips
Cheltenham Festival’s winning-most jockey turned TV pundit Ruby Walsh have shared his tips.
"MAJBOROUGH should win, and I won’t oppose him. However, if you wanted one to chase him home then Touch Me Not could be one for the forecast or the ‘betting without’ market."
2025 ARKLE CHASE FREE BETS
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2025 CHELTENHAM DAY 1 TIPS AND PREDICTIONS
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ARKLE CHASE FAQs
What is the distance of the Arkle Chase?
The Arkle Novices' Chase is run on a distance of 1 mile, 7 furlongs and 199 yards.
How many obstacles are jumped in the Arkle Chase?
There are 13 obastacles to jump for the Arkle Novices' Chase runners
What time is the Arkle Chase?
The Arkle Chase is the 2nd race run on Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival. That falls on Tuesday March 11, 2025 and the official starting time is 2:00pm.
What is the prize money for the Arkle Chase?
The total prize money on offer for the Arkle Novices' Chase at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival will be £200,000.
Who won the Arkle Chase last year?
Last year's renewal was won by Gaelic Warrior at SP of 2/1f, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend.
What weights are carried for the Arkle Chase?
11st 4lb. 7lb allowance for mares.
Who is the leading jockey in the Arkle Chase?
Legendary jockeys Barry Geraghty and Ruby Walsh have the most victories in this race. Ruby Walsh rode 3 winners in the last 10 years before retirement. There are two leading jockeys in the Arkle Challenge Trophy over the last 20 renewals with Paul Townend (3 wins, including the last two editions) and Nico de Boinville (2 wins and a 14/1 runner up in just four rides) the only multiple winners.
Who is the leading trainer in the Arkle Chase?
Nicky Henderson is the most successful trainer in Arkle Novices' Chase history with seven winners, most recently with Shishkin in 2021. Willie Mullins has had the upper hand over the last few years with 6 wins in the last 10 renewals. David Pipe, Alan King and Henry de Bromhead are the other trainers to have won the race in the last 11 years.
