The Cheltenham Festival / Adam Brookes / 07 March 2011 /

Run on Cheltenham's Old Course over a distance of two miles, the Arkle provides the ultimate test of speed and jumping technique for novice chasers, but who looks the best equipped to prove up to the challenge this year?

Currently heading the betting is Medermit, whose trainer and jockey have won the Arkle twice in recent times with Voy Por Ustedes (2006) and My Way de Solzen (2007), and look to have a very real chance of landing a hat-trick this year. Despite producing his best performance over fences in the Challenger Novices' Chase at Sandown last time, Medermit is the only one of the market principals that is yet to surpass his very smart hurdles rating over fences. Should he do just that at Cheltenham, he's going to prove extremely difficult to beat.

Ghizao has beaten Captain Chris twice this season, form that ties him in very closely with Medermit, and consequently marks him out as a valid Arkle contender. Showing useful form over hurdles last year, Ghizao has won the last two of his three starts over fences, with the most recent performance suggesting he has what it takes to win an Arkle. His trainer Paul Nicholls won this race with Flagship Uberalles (1999) and Azertyuiop (2003), and has another live chance this year.

Finian's Rainbow has faced just seven rivals in his three races over fences, each of which he has won. That said, two of the horses he has beaten have been Dipper Novices' Chase winner Hell's Bay (who beat Medermit off level weights in that race) and Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase runner-up Tail of The Bank. Nicky Henderson has won the race in each of the last two decades - Remittance Man and Travado in the nineties, Tiutchev in the noughties - and that has to bode well, but for a horse whose jumping hasn't been flawless, it remains to be seen how he handles the test that an Arkle brings.

If recent runnings of the race are anything to go by, the Irish raiders deserve maximum respect following the victories of Forpadydeplaster (2009) and Sizing Europe (2010), and while there doesn't seem to be a standout to claim the crown again this year, the leading Irish contender is pretty clearly Realt Dubh . He will certainly be one of the most experienced over fences as he has already had six runs, winning four of them, and has improved on all of his completed starts. A solid jumper and genuine battler, he may not possess the brilliance of some of his rivals, but he deserves a lot of respect.

In danger of looking a nearly horse after four consecutive seconds, Captain Chris got his head in front for the first time this season when winning a three-runner Pendil Novices' Chase at the end of February, beating Adams Island by 13 lengths. Although he's entered in the Arkle, it seems highly likely he will join his stable companion Wishfull Thinking in the Jewson, as the longer trip will suit him and he's already been beaten by Ghizao and Medermit this season.

With Starluck now missing Cheltenham for Aintree, some of the other interesting entries include Giorgio Quercus, Dan Breen and the pair of Rock Noir and Bellvano, between whom it would seem Tony McCoy, the leading Arkle jockey still in active service having won it three times since 1997, will be able to choose.

Only inches separated Giorgio Quercus and Dan Breen last time at Sandown, where the latter drifted right across the track, almost pinning the former up against the rail, leaving the stewards with little choice but to award Giorgio Quercus the race. Both remain open to improvement and would not be without each-way chances in the Arkle but, as things stand, they are also entered in the Grand Annual and both are currently shorter-priced for that race.

Rock Noir also has several entries at the Festival, but is currently shortest-priced for the Arkle and on the form of his seven-length defeat of Keki Buku at Warwick, he is certainly no forlorn hope. Admittedly, he needs to improve his jumping based on his latest fourth behind Medermit, but if he does so, he could be dangerous.

Bellvano is interesting in that he has only had one chase start, finishing second, but his trainer is still considering sending him to the Cheltenham. Although Well Chief had only had a single start over fences before winning the race in 2004, it remains to be seen how Bellvano fares, if indeed he takes his chance.

In a year in which no horse is head and shoulders above its contemporaries, William's Wishes, West With The Wind and Stagecoach Pearl have all earned their right to line up at Cheltenham too, and it will be fascinating to see whether the winner of the race this year can emulate winners Flagship Uberalles, Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop and Voy Por Ustedes, who all went on to win the Champion Chase in their next trip to the Festival.

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