- The Arkle Challenge Trophy was inaugurated in 1969, after Arkle’s three wins in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (1964-66). In its first year, the race was worth £1,365, and was won by Chatham (10/1), trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Terry Biddlecombe. The 2010 running has total prize money of £150,000. It was known as the Cotswold Chase before 1969.
- The Irish Independent, which backed the Arkle Chase for the first time in 2000, is only the race’s third sponsor. Guinness sponsored from 1994 until 1999, having taken over from Waterford Castle, who had supported since the first sponsored running in 1991.
- The Irish Independent Arkle Chase has always been a fiercely contested event, and the following have gone on to other Championship victories at The Festival: 2006 Voy Por Ustedes (Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2007) 2003 Azertyuiop (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2004) 2002 Moscow Flyer (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2003 & 2005) 1999 Flagship Uberalles (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2002) 1995 Klairon Davis (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 1996) 1991 Remittance Man (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 1992) 1978 Alverton (Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup winner 1979). Alverton is the only horse to have won both The Irish Independent Arkle Chase and totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.
- The lowest number of runners has been eight (1979, 1984 & 1993) and the highest 19 (1987 & 2005) as the Arkle Chase - there were 25 runners in the Cotswold Chase in 1960. The current safety limit is 20.
- The Irish Independent Arkle Chase has seen several trainers and jockeys run up strings of wins. Martin Pipe notched up successive wins with Or Royal in 1997 and Champleve in 1998 before Well Chief in 2004 and Contraband a year later gave him another brace of victories. Peter Easterby trained three winners - Alverton 1978, Clayside 1981 and Ryeman 1983. Among current trainers, Nicky Henderson leads the way with three successes (Remittance Man 1991, Travado 1993 and Tiutchev 2000), while both Paul Nicholls (Flagship Uberalles in 1999 and Azertyuiop in 2003) and Alan King, successful with My Way De Solzen in 2007 and Voy Por Ustedes in 2006, boast a pair of victories. Among jockeys, Jamie Osborne won three times, via a hat-trick between 1992 and 1994 on Young Pokey, Travado, and Nakir for three different trainers, Oliver Sherwood, Nicky Henderson and Simon Christian. Tony McCoy equalled Osborne’s three wins in 2004 when scoring on Well Chief, having also been aboard Or Royal (1997) and Champleve (1998).
- Irish trainers have won The Irish Independent Arkle Chase 10 times, including four of the last 14 runnings with Klairon Davis (1995), Ventana Canyon (1996), Moscow Flyer (2002) and Forpadydeplasterer (2009).
- The longest-priced winner is Gala’s Image, successful at 25/1 in 1987, while Pendil (1972) and Chinrullah (1979) are the shortest-priced scorers at 10/11. Six other favourites have won - Canasta Lad (1974), Clayside (1981), Bobsline (1984), Remittance Man (1991), Klairon Davis (1995) and Azertyuiop (2003).
- The fastest time for the two miles of The Irish Independent Arkle Chase was 3m 46.5s by Tiutchev in 2000, beating the previous best of 3m 52.5s set by Or Royal in 1997.
- Until 1980, The Irish Independent Arkle Chase was always run on the Wednesday of the National Hunt Festival. It now takes place on the opening day, Tuesday.
The Irish Independent Arkle Chase - Roll
(The Irish Independent Arkle Chase since 2000, Guinness Arkle Chase 1994-99, Waterford Castle Arkle Chase 1991-93, no sponsor 1969-90, Cotswold Chase before 1969)
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Forpadydeplasterer | Barry Geraghty | Tom Cooper IRE | 8/1 |
| 2008 | Tidal Bay | Denis O'Regan | Howard Johnson | 6/1 |
| 2007 | My Way De Solzen | Robert Thornton | Alan King | 7/2 |
| 2006 | Voy Por Ustedes | Robert Thornton | Alan King | 15/2 |
| 2005 | Contraband | Timmy Murphy | Martin Pipe | 7/1 |
| 2004 | Well Chief | Tony McCoy | Martin Pipe | 9/1 |
| 2003 | Azertyuiop | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | 5/4F |
| 2002 | Moscow Flyer | Barry Geraghty | Jessica Harrington IRE | 11/2 |
| 2001 | ||||
| 2000 | Tiutchev | Mick FitzGerald | Nicky Henderson | 8/1 |
| 1999 | Flagship Uberalles | Joe Tizzard | Paul Nicholls | 11/1 |
| 1998 | Champleve | Tony McCoy | Martin Pipe | 13/2 |
| 1997 | Or Royal | Tony McCoy | Martin Pipe | 11/2 |
| 1996 | Ventana Canyon | Richard Dunwoody | Edward O'Grady IRE | 7/1 |
| 1995 | Klairon Davis | Francis Woods | Arthur Moore IRE | 7/2F |
| 1994 | Nakir | Jamie Osborne | Simon Christian | 9/1 |
| 1993 | Travado | Jamie Osborne | Nicky Henderson | 5/1 |
| 1992 | Young Pokey | Jamie Osborne | Oliver Sherwood | 4/1 |
| 1991 | Remittance Man | Richard Dunwoody | Nicky Henderson | 85/40 F |
| 1990 | Comandante | Peter Hobbs | Josh Gifford | 9/2 |
| 1989 | Waterloo Boy | Richard Dunwoody | David Nicholson | 20/1 |
| 1988 | Danish Flight | Mark Dwyer | Jimmy FitzGerald | 11/2 |
| 1987 | Gala's Image | Richard Linley | Mercy Rimell | 25/1 |
| 1986 | Oregon Trail | Ronnie Beggan | Simon Christian | 14/1 |
| 1985 | Boreen Prince | Niall Madden | Andrew McNamara IRE | 15/2 |
| 1984 | Bobsline | Frank Berry | Francis Flood IRE | 5/4F |
| 1983 | Ryeman | Alan Brown | Peter Easterby | 16/1 |
| 1982 | The Brockshee | Tommy Carberry | Arthur Moore IRE | 12/1 |
| 1981 | Clayside | Alan Brown | Peter Easterby | 5/2F |
| 1980 | Anaglogs Daughter | Tommy Carberry | Bill Durkan IRE | 9/4 |
| 1979 | Chinrullah | Dessie Hughes | Mick O'Toole IRE | 10/11F |
| 1978 | Alverton | Graham Thorner | Peter Easterby | 5/2 |
| 1977 | Tip The Wink | Dessie Hughes | Pat Taylor | 15/2 |
| 1976 | Roaring Wind | Reg Crank | Roy Cambidge | 11/1 |
| 1975 | Broncho II | Colin Tinkler | Tony Dickinson | 8/1 |
| 1974 | Canasta Lad | Jeff King | Peter Bailey | 2/1F |
| 1973 | Denys Adventure | Graham Thorner | Tim Forster | 8/1 |
| 1972 | Pendil | Richard Pitman | Fred Winter | 10/11F |
| 1971 | Alpheus | Eddie Wright | Tom Dreaper IRE | 15/1 |
| 1970 | Soloning | Paul Kelleway | Fred Winter | 4/1 |
| 1969 | Chatham | Terry Biddlecombe | Fred Rimell | 10/1 |
| 1968 | The Hustler | Barry Brogan | Earl Jones | 20/1 |
| 1967 | Arctic Stream | Ben Hannon | P Rooney IRE | 8/1 |
| 1966 | Arctic Sunset | George Milburn | Ken Oliver | 3/1 |
| 1965 | Flyingbolt | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper IRE | 4/9F |
| 1964 | Greektown | Michael Scudamore | Willie Stephenson | 13/2 |
| 1963 | Ben Stack | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper IRE | 13/8F |
| 1962 | Prudent Barney | Johnny East | Bobby Renton | 20/1 |
| 1961 | Mountcashel King | Pat Taaffe | Tom Dreaper IRE | 2/5F |
| 1960 | Mazurka | Ron Harrison | Ron Smyth | 10/1 |
| 1959 | Flame Gun | Fred Winter | Charlie Mallon | 7/2 |
| 1958 | Fortria | Tom Taaffe | Tom Dreaper IRE | 7/2 |
| 1957 | Ballyatom | Mr Bob McCreery | George Beeby | 8/1 |
| 1956 | Sir Ken | Tim Molony | Willie Stephenson | 5/4F |
| 1955 | Manuscrit | Johnny Bullock | Fulke Walwyn | 10/1 |
| 1954 | Armorial III | Rene Emery | Fulke Walwyn | 7/2F |
| 1953 | Bramble Tudor | Tim Molony | Stewart Wight | 11/4 |
| 1952 | Nautical Print | Tommy Cusack | Gerry Wilson | 6/1 |
| 1951 | Red Steel | Dick Francis | Frank Cundell | 4/1F |
| 1950 | High Level | Johnny Bullock | Fred Rimell | 9/2 |
| 1949 | Grand Refrain | Glen Kelly | Bobby Norris | 9/4F |
| 1948 | Top Cash | Glen Kelly | Bobby Norris | 3/1 |
| 1947 | ||||
| 1946 | Bright Penny | Glen Kelly | Bobby Norris | 5/1 |
