Arkle betting is intense ahead of keenly contested festival race

Jockey Paul Townend and owner Rich Ricci after victory in the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase with Gaelic Warrior last year.

placeholder image — Jockey Paul Townend and owner Rich Ricci after victory in the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase with Gaelic Warrior last year.

The Arkle Challenge Trophy is always a keenly contested race and the Grade 1, open to horses aged five or older, is sure to drawn huge interest from now until the race.

Joseph O'Brien will have two outsiders in the running as Jordans and San Salvador will look to make the pace on the day while Inthepocket trained by Henry De Bromhead is sure to feature as well.

Brian O’Keeffe, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: “It was setting up to be one of the clashes of the festival and your heart has to go out to Nicky Henderson and all at Seven Barrows, but as we saw in last year’s Champion Hurdle, Nicky’s loss is Willie Mullins’ gain and we now make Majborough one of the bankers of the meeting.”

Arkle Chase

4/7 Majborough

5/1 L’Eau du Sud

12/1 Mistergif

14/1 Impaire Et Passe

16/1 Jango Baie

20/1 Firefox

20/1 Ile Atlantique

20/1 Touch Me Not

20/1 Springwell Bay

25/1 bar