Arkle Novices’ Chase Tips: Highlight of the week for many

It's 'only' the second race of the Cheltenham Festival, but for many it's their favourite of the entire week. Young guns hurtling around 2m of prime Prestbury Park real estate, 13 fences to negotiate, and the small matter of a hallowed spot in equine folklore up for grabs. 

This year's renewal is a beauty. At the head of the market we've got last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner; then the Triumph Hurdle runner-up, and the County Hurdle heroine (who just for good measure had finished second in the previous year's Triumph herself, too). What a thriller - and here's how we think it might all pan out.

Have a brilliant week, we'll be with you throughout, and many thanks for your company.

Arkle Novices' Chase odds

Cheltenham Betting odds

Our in-house Horse Racing tipster Owen McMahon has gone through the card for Tuesday's Races and made a selection for every race. Read who he's backing and why with our Cheltenham Day 1 Tips. Add to that former Jockey Katie Walsh has passed on her Cheltenham Tuesday Tips to us here at Betfred.

Always nice to put a bit of added perspective to a race. This one commemorates Arkle, to many the greatest National Hunt horse of all time, a triple Gold Cup winner ('64-'66), two Hennessys, a Whitbread, an Irish Grand National and successful in 22 of his 26 steeplechases.

There's a bar on the course that bears his name, a statue, and this terrific race for the cream of the sport's young chasers. Former winners of this (and under its previous name, the Cotswold Chase) comprise an impressive enough list, and they include the likes of Flyingbolt, Pendil, Alverton, Moscow Flyer, Sprinter Sacre, Douvan, Altior, Shishkin and Gaelic Warrior. No wonder it's so revered.

Right - the class of '26. Who do you fancy?

14:00 - Lulamba @ 13/8

Time to declare my hand, and it's for Nicky Henderson's five-year-old French-bred gelding Lulamba.

Seven races have yielded six victories, and that sole defeat was by a neck in last year's Triumph. He avenged that reverse emphatically at Punchestown, beating his conqueror Poniros, and in three chase assignments this season since being launched over the larger obstacles the Racing Post race-reader has ended his summary for each in turn with 'easily,' impressive,' and 'readily.'

The selection was rated 153 over hurdles, but it's 163 over fences - the highest in the field. Lulamba races in the familiar colours of Mrs Donnelly, of State Man fame along with a host of others, and Nico De Boinville takes the mount.

His sternest competition is expected to come from Kopek Des Bordes, last year's Supreme winner, who actually bombed when next seen at Punchestown but on his solitary appearance this term, on chase debut, bolted up impressively at Navan in a beginners' affair back in November.

In the Supreme he travelled extremely well close to the front end and stayed on well enough up the hill, but the winning margin was just 1.75l. Where I feel Lulamba might just have a little edge is at this point in the race, as at Sandown in the Henry VIII and Newbury in the Game Spirit he really came alive in the latter stages, powering clear especially up that unforgiving hill in Esher.

If Kopek is ridden aggressively once again it will be for Nico to stay in touch, and look to use that finishing kick in the closing stages. With the likes of Kargese and Steel Ally also facing the starter this is no two-horse contest, but I wouldn't swap Lulamba for anything in the race and in Henderson terms he might just be on the cusp of following in some very impressive hoofprints indeed. 

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Cheltenham Tips with Betfred Insights.