Cheltenham

My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Distance: 1m7f199y
Going: Good To Soft
Prize: £112,540
Runners: 5
Winning time: 3m 53.57s (slow by 1.57s)
Age: 5yo+
Class: Class 1
1
J:Nico de Boinville T:Nicky Henderson
Age:6 Weight:11st 7lbs
OR:153 SP:5/1
Set good pace - headed and prominent 3rd - towards rear before 7th - outpaced after 4 out - mistake 3 out - some headway when mistake 2 out - ridden and rallied approaching last - ran on well run-in - led towards finish(op 6/1)
2 ¾
J:Keith Donoghue T:Gavin Cromwell
Age:7 Weight:11st 0lbs
OR:144 SP:25/1
Held up in last - not fluent 1st - headway 4 out - went third after 3 out - left in second 2 out - challenging approaching last - led narrowly run-in - kept on but headed towards finish(op 18/1)
3 shd ¾
J:Mark Walsh T:W P Mullins
Age:5 Weight:11st 7lbs
OR:162 SP:1/2F
Prominent - led just after 5th - mistake 4 out - 1 length ahead when bad mistake and headed 2 out - mistake last - rallied against far rail run-in - briefly disputed lead towards finish - just held - did well in the circumstances (jockey said gelding made a bad mistake at both the second last and last fence)(op 4/9)
4 ¾
J:Harry Skelton T:Dan Skelton
Age:7 Weight:11st 7lbs
OR:156 SP:5/1
In touch with leaders - went third before 7th - went second going okay after 3 out - left in lead 2 out - soon faced challenge - headed run-in - weakened towards finish(op 11/2)
5 54 55½
J:Jack Kennedy T:Gordon Elliott
Age:6 Weight:11st 7lbs
OR:151 SP:16/1
Pressed leader - led 3rd - jumped right and headed 5th - weakened quickly and dropped to last after 3 out - tailed off(op 18/1 tchd 14/1)

Betting breakdown

Tote win: £6
Tote place: £1.90 £4.40
Exacta: £63.10
Trifecta: £100.10
CSF: £62.60