Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy betting (March 11 2008)

Events / Editor / 20 October 2007 / Leave a Comment

This Grade 1 novices chase run over two miles of the Old Course on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival often sees some of the biggest bets of the whole meeting as the betting ring becomes a place for some serious action.

The top Irish and British novices come into this race with near fanatical supporters prepared to bet on their charges regardless of the odds on offer, and over the last two decades some horses of the very highest calibre have taken this event before going on to win the two-mile Queen Mother Champion Chase the following season, often landing huge ante-post bets at tasty odds.

Trainer Alan King has rewarded his followers in the betting by winning the last two renewals of this race. In 2006 he landed the bets with Voy Por Ustedes and most recently with My Way de Solzen, the former going on to be crowned Champion Chaser at odds of 5/1 in 2007 under jockey Robert Thornton.

Champion jockey Tony McCoy is well worth having on your side when considering a bet on the race and has the best record of any current rider in the 'Arkle', winning three of the last 10 renewals, most recently with Well Chief (at odds of 9/1) for Martin Pipe in 2004.