SINGER ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY NOVICES’ CHASE - PREVIEW & TIPS
2:00 CHELTENHAM
SINGER ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY NOVICES' CHASE (GRADE 1) (GBB RACE)
The Arkle is the Festival’s definitive test for elite novice two-mile chasers and regularly crowns a future Champion Chase horse.
ARKLE - PREVIEW
Introduced in 1969 and named in honour of the great Arkle, this race has become the premier minimum-trip novice chase of the season and one of the most searching tests of the entire Festival. Its roll of honour is full of exceptional names, with Moscow Flyer, Sprinter Sacre, Simonsig, Altior, Shishkin, El Fabiolo and Gaelic Warrior all underlining the standard normally required. Nicky Henderson and Willie Mullins have dominated the modern era and that feels relevant again here, with the latest renewal centred around one major British hope and one hugely talented Irish rival.
This year’s running has depth despite the small field and should be truly run. Kopek Des Bordes is unlikely to be ridden with too much restraint given his natural pace, while Jax Junior and Steel Ally have also shown enough tactical intent in their races to ensure there is no hiding place. In a seven-runner Arkle, rhythm at speed becomes even more important because there are fewer excuses and less room for hesitant jumping. The race may come down to which of the principals can hold a prominent position without sacrificing fluency, then find again from the last up the hill.
ARKLE - RUNNER BY RUNNER GUIDE
HANSARD - 100/1
He was a useful handicap hurdler and has shown enough over fences to suggest he is a capable novice in the right company. His second to Mambonumberfive in the Wayward Lad was respectable, but his overall profile leaves him short of the level usually required for an Arkle. He should travel handily enough, though this demands a clear career-best and others arrive with stronger graded form.
JAX JUNIOR - 22/1
He has done little wrong over fences and his recent Pendil success confirmed him as a smart and straightforward novice chaser. He jumps soundly, can race prominently or just off the pace and his attitude is a definite asset in a championship race. The issue is that his best form has come over further and this sharper, more demanding two-mile test against top-class rivals may expose a lack of pure pace.
KOPEK DES BORDES - 6/4
Last year’s Supreme winner brings star quality and genuine Festival class to the race and his sole chase start at Navan was visually striking despite the odd novicey moment. He has the natural speed and engine for this test and if his fencing holds together at championship pace he is clearly good enough to win. The concern is preparation rather than ability. One completed start over fences, combined with an interrupted campaign, leaves him more vulnerable than a horse of his raw talent perhaps should be.
LULAMBA - 13/8
He has looked a top-class novice chaser all season and his progression from Exeter to Sandown and then Newbury has been that of a horse learning quickly and operating at a very high level. The Game Spirit win in open company was especially persuasive because he had to organise himself against experienced rivals before asserting with authority. He has pace, scope and the ability to warm into his races and that blend is particularly attractive in an Arkle where pressure builds from a long way out. On form, preparation and chasing education, he sets the standard.
MAMBONUMBERFIVE - 33/1
He improved markedly for going over fences and his hat-trick, culminating in Grade 2 success at Kempton, gave him a credible profile coming into the second half of the season. However, his Warwick effort was underwhelming and his jumping came under pressure when the tempo lifted. In a race this unforgiving, that is a notable concern, and while better ground may help him, he still looks up against it.
STEEL ALLY - 12/1
He has taken extremely well to chasing and his three-from-three record in this sphere marks him down as a serious novice. His Warwick success was authoritative and his fencing is an obvious strength, while the form of his Ascot Grade 2 also gives him substance. He does, however, step into much deeper company here and the jump from strong domestic novice form into an Arkle against two potentially exceptional rivals is substantial. Even so, he is the type to keep finding and looks the most plausible threat to the front two if one of them underperforms.
KARGESE - 9/2
A smart hurdler who has adapted well to fences and comes here after pushing Romeo Coolio very close in the Irish Arkle. The 7lbs mare’s allowance is a major help in a race of this quality and her Festival record already reads well after last season’s County Hurdle success. She has tactical pace, knows how to handle Cheltenham and is entitled to be involved, though this race may demand a little more fencing sharpness than she showed at the last in Leopardstown.
ARKLE - FINAL THOUGHTS
This should be a proper Arkle despite the field size. Kopek Des Bordes has the pace to force the issue if desired, while Jax Junior and Steel Ally are not the type to let the race turn tactical. That ought to ensure a genuinely run two miles, placing emphasis on quick, accurate jumping and the ability to travel strongly without wasting energy. In that sort of race, any hesitation at a fence can be costly.
Lulamba appeals most because he brings the strongest blend of form, experience and tactical suitability. His chase campaign has been notably smooth, his Newbury win against experienced open-company rivals was a major statement and he shapes like a horse still sharpening rather than one already fully exposed. He may yet prove to stay further in time, but right now he looks tailor-made for an Arkle run at championship pace.
Kopek Des Bordes is the obvious danger on raw talent and Festival class and he could easily prove good enough if his limited chase experience does not catch him out. Kargese is respected with her weight allowance and strong Leopardstown form, while Steel Ally looks best of the remainder if the principals fail to fire.