Un De Sceaux is clear favourite in the ante-post market for the two-mile £150,000 Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase at Cheltenham, for which there are 45 entries.
The seven-year-old was unbeaten over hurdles but fell on his chasing debut at Thurles in November when looking the certain winner. He made no mistake next time out at Fairyhouse on December 12th, when successful by 12 lengths. He is due to run next Sunday, January 25th, in the Grade 1 Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown.
His trainer Willie Mullins accounts for nine entries in total, with last year's Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle victor Vautour also featuring prominently in the betting.
There are 19 Irish-trained entries in all, with Clarcam (Gordon Elliott) second favourite with most bookmakers following an impressive 17-length victory in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. Enda Bolger may be best known for his cross country chasers but he has an exciting novice on his hands with the J P McManus-owned Gilgamboa, a facile 24-length winner of a Grade 2 contest at Limerick on Boxing Day. Both are due to take on Un De Sceaux on Sunday.
Nicky Henderson is jointly the most successful ever handler in the Racing Post Arkle with five victories and his one entry is Josses Hill, runner-up in last year's Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle and a winner over fences at Doncaster on January 9th.
Josses Hill was beaten on his chasing debut in a Grade 2 event at Ascot in December by Ptit Zig, who is one of three engaged for champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls. Ptit Zig has won on all four of his starts over fences, most recently landing the Grade 2 BetBright Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. Nicholls could be also be represented by Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase victor Vibrato Valtat and Solar Impulse.
Local handler Tom George has entered God's Own. The seven-year-old won a Grade 1 event at Punchestown in May and then stepped out of novice company to land the Grade 2 Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter in November. After a disappointing effort in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park in December, he stepped back to novice chasing and finished third last time out behind Vibrato Valtat in the williamhill.com Wayward Lad Novices' Chase at Kempton Park on December 27th. Gods Own also holds an entry in the JLT Novices' Chase over two and a half miles, as does his stable companion Stellar Notion, who has won on his last two starts in handicaps at Leicester and Kempton Park.
George said: "God's Own has had a bit of a break since Kempton. He came good in the spring last year but has been struggling on the soft ground this season.
"We have entered him for the Arkle because he won around Punchestown over two miles, but that is a very stiff two miles. He is ultimately a three-miler and our inclination is that he will probably be stepping up in trip next time.
"We just need to get him back on track again before we start thinking about the Festival, but he has had a few blips before and bounced back.
"Stellar Notion is going to run at Cheltenham on Saturday (January 24th) and that will give us a bit more of an idea where we are going with him.
"He is obviously improving and is an exciting horse. We have just been ticking along with him and everything has been geared around chasing, hence why he was lightly-raced over hurdles last season.
"I think he is ready to step it up and the way he is progressing suggests he will be ready for the Festival this year."
RACING POST ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY CHASE
Grade 1, £150,000, Cheltenham, 2.05pm Tuesday, March 10th. 2m.
Horse Age Owner Trainer
ADRIANA DES MOTTES (FR) 5 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
APACHE STRONGHOLD (IRE) 7 Patricia Hunt Noel Meade IRE
BLOOD COTIL (FR) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
BOLD HENRY 9 J P McManus Philip Hobbs
CHELTENIAN (FR) 9 Roger Brookhouse Philip Hobbs
CHRIS PEA GREEN 6 C Green & Galloping On The South Downs Gary Moore
CLARCAM (FR) 5 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
COLD MARCH (FR) 5 Andrew Brooks Venetia Williams
COURT MINSTREL (IRE) 8 Janet Davies Evan Williams
DANCE FLOOR KING (IRE) 8 Mr Nick Elliott Nick Mitchell
DEEP TROUBLE (IRE) 8 Lady Jane Grosvenor Ben Case
DUNRAVEN STORM (IRE) 10 Karola Vann Philip Hobbs
FLORISHWELLS D'ETE (FR) 5 J P McManus Willie Mullins IRE
GILGAMBOA (IRE) 7 J P McManus Enda Bolger IRE
GITANE DU BERLAIS (FR) 5 Simon Munir/Isaac Souede Willie Mullins IRE
GOD'S OWN (IRE) 7 Crossed Fingers Partnership Tom George
GRUMETI 7 McNeill Family Alan King
JARRY D'HONNEUR (FR) 6 J P McManus Willie Mullins IRE
JOSSES HILL (IRE) 7 Alan Spence Nicky Henderson
LE VENT D'ANTAN (FR) 6 Goliath Syndicate Liz Doyle IRE
LITTLE JON 7 R Frosell & Mrs L Taylor Nigel Twiston-Davies
MAN WITH VAN (IRE) 9 Jetmac Syndicate Stuart Crawford IRE
MELODIC RENDEZVOUS 9 Cash For Honours Jeremy Scott
MISTER SPINGSPRONG (IRE) 8 D Gilbert, M Lawrence, A Bruce Michael Smith
PTIT ZIG (FR) 6 Chris Giles,Barry Fulton & Richard Webb Paul Nicholls
REAL STEEL (IRE) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE
RULE THE WORLD 8 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris IRE
SAIL BY THE SEA (IRE) 7 Roger Brookhouse David Pipe
SGT RECKLESS 8 Camilla Radford Mick Channon
SIZING GRANITE (IRE) 7 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE
SMASHING (FR) 6 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE
SOLAR IMPULSE (FR) 5 Andrea & Graham Wylie Paul Nicholls
STELLAR NOTION (IRE) 7 Roger Brookhouse Tom George
TANGO DE JUILLEY (FR) 7 Muhammad Nadeem Khan Venetia Williams
TED VEALE (IRE) 8 John Breslin Tony Martin IRE
THREE KINGDOMS (IRE) 6 Bloomfields John Ferguson
TOP GAMBLE (IRE) 7 Walters Plant Hire & James & Jean Potter Richard Lee
TURN OVER SIVOLA (FR) 8 International Plywood (Importers) Ltd Alan King
UN ACE (FR) 7 Ace In The Pack Partnership Kim Bailey
UN DE SCEAUX (FR) 7 E O'Connell Willie Mullins IRE
UPSIE (FR) 7 J P McManus Willie Mullins IRE
VAL DE FERBET (FR) 6 A Heffernan Willie Mullins IRE
VAUTOUR (FR) 6 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
VIBRATO VALTAT (FR) 6 Axom XLIII Paul Nicholls
YORKIST (IRE) 7 Mike And Eileen Newbould Brian Ellison
45 entries
19 Irish-trained
Current betting: 2/1 Un De Sceaux, 6 vautour, 8 Clarcam, 10 Josses Hill, Gilgamboa, 14 Ptit Zig, 16 Vibrato Valtat, 20/1 bar.
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