14.00
Good To SoftMy Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)
- Prize money: £112540
- 1m 7f 199y
- Class 1
- 5 runners
Runners: 5 runners
Type: Chase Turf
Surface: Turf
Weather: Cloudy
7/1 (Won)
- Win: £6.00
- Place: £1.90
Form: 222-12 C BF
Last run: 38 days
W: 11st 7lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 153
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1st 2 |
9th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 3m 0f 210y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Kept on for close third to Impaire Et Passe in the 2m4f Manifesto here 12 months ago and has improved for longer trips this season; very close fourth in thrilling finish to the King George at Kempton (3m, good) in December and 8l second in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham (3m2f, good to soft) last month; leading claims if that hard race 27 days ago hasn't left a mark. |
5/6 |
|
2nd 8 |
13th Mar 2026 Good 3m 2f 70y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Came from behind to win the Arkle here (2m, good to soft) 12 months ago and, as could be anticipated, was well suited by the step up to 3m when a very close fourth behind The Jukebox Man and Gaelic Warrior in the King George at Kempton (3m, good) in December; of the four involved in that thrilling finish he arguably shaped as the one most likely to improve for today's stiffer test; seems versatile ground-wise; could play a leading role. |
4/1 |
|
3rd 6 |
3rd Apr 2025 Good To Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 7lb |
Short-headed in Grade 1 Scilly Isles at Sandown (2m4f, heavy) in February on second chase start and rallied from a very unpromising position to win the Arkle at Cheltenham (2m, good to soft) last month; unraced on good ground; ran big races over hurdles on both visits here and he's a leading contender with the step back up in trip likely to be in his favour. |
9/4 |
12/1
- Place: £4.40
Form: 7-3111 D
Last run: 30 days
W: 11st 0lb
7 yo Mare
OR: 144
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3rd 4 |
1st May 2026 Yielding 2m 4f 55y |
11st 3lb |
Last year's Arkle runner-up is 4-8 over fences; won a Naas Grade 3 on her seasonal return in November; disappointed in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown a month later but back on song when chasing Dinoblue home in the Mares' Chase at Cheltenham; big player again here. |
9/4 |
|
2nd 4 |
13th Mar 2026 Good 2m 4f 127y Class 1 |
11st 5lb |
Runner-up in the Arkle here (2m, good to soft) 12 months ago and returned from a break with a game win Grade 3 against males at Naas (2m, soft) in November; unproven at today's trip and well beaten in Grade 1 against males at Leopardstown (2m1f, yielding) in December, but was badly hampered at the second fence; has an each-way shout if seeing out the distance. |
7/1 |
|
2nd 6 |
1st May 2025 Yielding 2m 0f 75y |
11st 5lb |
Progressive mare whose record of 3-4 since switched to chasing features wins in Cork Grade 2 and Exeter Listed event, both against her own sex; belied her 25-1 odds with excellent second in dramatic Arkle most recently, edging ahead and looking the likely winner on the run-in only to be collared by the fast-finishing winner close home; had Majborough behind on that occasion but she might be reliant on the Mullins runner to falter in the jumping department again. |
3/1 |
4/7
Form: /31-11 C
Last run: 38 days
W: 11st 7lb
5 yo Gelding
OR: 162
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4th 4 |
28th Apr 2026 Yielding 2m 0f 98y |
11st 12lb |
4-8 over fences; has a massive engine and has won three Grade 1s over fences, including when giving Marine Nationale a 19l beating in first-time cheekpieces at the DRF; however, his jumping is often erratic and the cheekpieces weren't as effective when he again jumped poorly when soundly beaten in the Champion Chase; obvious chance if he jumps well but hard to know what to expect; a risky proposition. |
9/4 |
|
7th 8 |
11th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 1m 7f 199y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Talented youngster who triumphed in the Triumph at this meeting in 2024 and shaped like the best horse when close third in last year's Arkle, which he would likely have won but for late mistakes that included a howler two out; again lacked fluency when beaten twice in December but took very well to first-time cheekpieces and jumped better on his way to a highly impressive performance in the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown (2m1f, soft) since, beating 2025 Champion Chase winner Marine Nationale by 19l; good chance of following up in the retained headgear, provided the form is confirmed and a reversion to errors is avoided. |
5/6 |
|
1st 3 |
1st Feb 2026 Soft To Heavy 2m 1f 0y |
11st 12lb |
The 2024 Triumph Hurdle winner turned into a top-class novice chaser last season, winning Grade 1s over C&D and at Punchestown; however, he had jumping frailties too and they resurfaced on return at Cork behind Found A Fifty; a decent effort back over C&D last time but has ground to make up on Solness and Marine National on that form; cheekpieces added. |
15/8 |
9/2
Form: 5-1111 CD
Last run: 31 days
W: 11st 7lb
7 yo Gelding
OR: 156
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5 |
10th Apr 2026 Good To Soft 2m 3f 200y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Third of five in Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase here (2m, good) 12 months ago and reappeared with a win in the Grade 2 Shloer at Cheltenham (2m, soft) in November; ran well when 12l third in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham (2m, good to soft) last month but doesn't appear to be crying out for this step up in trip, and Harry Skelton rides Grey Dawning. |
11/1 |
|
3rd 6 |
11th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 1m 7f 199y Class 1 |
11st 10lb |
Progressive in the main; smart novice chaser last term and ties in closely with Majborough on Arkle bare form (good to soft; finished a close fourth); below par in the 2025 Tingle Creek when last seen but this looks the day to catch him; successful the last three times he has returned from a break of two months or bigger, most recently in this season's Shloer over C&D (soft) when easily beating his rivals and registering a fourth Graded win, as well as cementing his Champion Chase claims; favourably fresh and rightly respected. |
4/1 |
|
2 |
1st Nov 2025 Good 2m 0f 172y Class 1 |
11st 12lb |
One of Britain's best 2m novice chasers last season and held his own in the Grade 1s at Cheltenham and Aintree; didn't jump as well as he can on the latter occasion when tried in cheekpieces and those aids are now left off; high in the weights for a reason but he may prefer softer ground and will have new handling, having only been ridden by Harry Skelton in Britain. |
16/1
Form: 1-2122 D
Last run: 38 days
W: 11st 7lb
6 yo Gelding
OR: 151
| Place / No / Draw |
Date / Going /
Distance / Class |
Time + Course Horse + Weight Jockey / Trainer |
Verdict | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
20th 3 |
28th Apr 2026 Yielding 2m 0f 132y |
10st 12lb |
Talented chaser rated 152 in that sphere and a Grade 2 novice chase winner at this venue; soundly beaten in the Grand Annual on latest and now tries to exploit a 17lb lower hurdles mark on first start over timber since April 2024; can't discount. |
12/1 |
|
14th 1 |
11th Mar 2026 Good To Soft 1m 7f 199y Class 1 |
12st 0lb |
Tailed off in last season's Arkle on sole visit here and has a lofty mark to defy; however, he won a Grade 2 novice chase last term and ran really well in second in a 2m Grade 3 at Naas recently when conceding 9lb to all of his rivals; James Smith removes 5lb; not ruled out each-way. |
25/1 |
|
2nd 1 |
22nd Feb 2026 Soft To Heavy 2m 0f 0y |
11st 10lb |
Grade 2 winner at Punchestown (2m, soft) last season; form dipped last spring after two respectable runs in Grade 1 company; below best on seasonal return in Fortria (2m, soft to heavy) but much better on handicap debut at Fairyhouse next time when runner-up (2m1f, yielding to soft); ran a solid race when third in a similar contest to this at Fairyhouse last time; race conditions are against him here but a lot of the others have question marks. |
9/2 |
+o+e Accumulators
| Payout | |
|---|---|
| Exacta | £63.10 |
| Straight Forecast | £62.60 |
| Trifecta | £100.10 |
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