A paltry field of five runners will line up for the 2025 Arkle Challenge Trophy, which takes place on day one of the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday 11th March at 2:00pm. The Willie Mullins-trained Majborough is a red-hot favourite for the 2m Grade 1 contest, but he will face some notable rivals in what should be a intriguing contest.
Superb when storming to Triumph Hurdle victory at last season’s festival, Majborough has smoothly transitioned to the novice chasing sphere and the JP McManus-owned star heads to the Arkle with a perfect two wins from two runs over fences. A facile winner on debut at Fairyhouse, he was last seen cruising to a nine-length win in the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival.
He was duly propelled to clear odds-on favourite for the race after Sir Gino was ruled out by Nicky Henderson, but the exciting youngster is sure to be well fancied for this race on Tuesday and he certainly sets the standard in what is a small, but select field.
One of the leading challengers will be Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud, who is another with a 100% record over fences and has shown to be a top notch novice chaser this season. Runner-up in the County Hurdle last season, the seven-year-old has already won an Arkle Trial at Cheltenham this season and was a fine winner of the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase and Kingmaker Novices’ Chase as well.
An eye-catching winner on chasing debut at Cheltenham, Jango Baie will add more strength in depth to the British challenge, but Nicky Henderson’s charge was last seen being beaten by Handstands in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown. That is smart form and he is certainly another fascinating contender for what should be an exciting renewal.
A winner of a Grade 2 novice chase at Punchestown earlier in the season, Touch Me Not has since suffered defeats behind both L’Eau Du Sud and Majborough, so will be looking to cause a shock here, while completing the quintet is Only By Night, who is three from three over fences for Gavin Cromwell and is an intriguing contender.
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2025 Arkle Challenge Trophy Runners
| Number | Horse | Trainer |
| 1 | Jango Baie | Nicky Henderson |
| 2 | L’Eau Du Sud | Dan Skelton |
| 3 | Majborough | Willie Mullins |
| 4 | Touch Me Not | Gordon Elliott |
| 5 | Only By Night | Gavin Cromwell |
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