Cheltenham Festival 2026: Arkle Challenge Trophy race analysis and preview 

The climax of the 2026 British National Hunt season is almost upon us, as the Cheltenham Festival begins in eight days’ time. 

Britain and Ireland’s elite yards will go head-to-head in 28 scheduled races, which are set to capture the eyes of the racing world. 

One of the main betting races of the meeting is the Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Stakes and it takes place on the opening day of the four-day meeting. 

It is the second race of the Festival – due to begin at 2pm on Tuesday, March 10 – and will see runners embark on two miles of Prestbury Park – where they will jump 13 fences. 

This year’s renewal will see two of the most talked about Novice chasers’ – representing both Britain and Ireland – do battle. 

For exclusive stories and all the detailed Racing news you need, subscribe to the
Racing Ahead website, digital edition, or magazine from as little as 8p a day.

Unbeaten record

Trainer Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba heads the field at 13/8, following an unbeaten start to life in this division. 

He arrived at last year’s Cheltenham Festival looking to maintain his unbeaten record over hurdles, having won on his only start in France and then on his stable debut at Ascot.

However, he finished a close third behind 100/1 outsider Poniros, in a thrilling to the Triumph Hurdle, though quickly bounced back by defeating his Cheltenham conqueror at Punchestown. 

Lulamba is looking to continue his perfect record over fences, having won all three of his starts in this sphere – including a Novice Grade One – by an accumulative 27 lengths. 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Paul Townend gears up for the Cheltenham Festival with Saint Sam heading Navan quartet

“So much improvement”

On his chances, Henderson told the Racing Post: “Everybody’s very happy with him, and that was a good experience for him at Newbury in the Game Spirit – it was exactly what we were trying to do. 

“The whole point of running him against older horses is that they’re good, old, forcing horses who make the running, whereas in a novice everyone starts calmly before they get going.

“He was behind proper, good, front-running top two-milers, and that’s where he needed to go and learn. 

“We had every intention of not running him on the morning of the race, but Nico and I walked the track and it was better ground than we thought.

“It wasn’t pretty at times, but he’ll improve on that and the impressive thing was that when he suddenly got daylight at the second-last, he flew home. 

“There’s so much improvement to come out of this horse.” 

Lulamba is looking to emulate Shishkin, who won this race back in 2021, by carrying the colours of Joe and Marie Donnelly to victory for Henderson. 

Champion Trainer

He is rivalled by last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Kopek Des Bordes, who is the leading Irish fancy in this race. 

Trained by 11-time Cheltenham Festival Champion Trainer Willie Mullins, he also enters this race looking to maintain an unbeaten record over fences.

This came at Navan on his seasonal debut, off the back of a campaign that saw him win his first four starts over Hurdles, including the Supreme. 

He ended last season with a very heavy defeat in the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown, but trades as the clear (2/1) second favourite for this race.

Mullins had declared him to run at the Dublin Racing Festival, but he was subsequently withdrawn, meaning that he will start this race having had only one start over fences. 

“Very happy”

Mullins told Racing TV: “I would prefer him to have more experience of course, but I was very happy with how he worked in Punchestown the other day. 

“Somebody described it as an explosive piece of work and it wouldn’t be my style to describe it like that, but he worked very well.

“I put him in with a few other horses and they went two miles at racing speed, that was our objective, and I wanted to bring him to a race meeting on a raceday as well.

“I didn’t want the hardship that he might get by running in the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown.

“I didn’t want him to be pushed out, but I wanted him to have a hard bit of work and he got that and the further and faster he jumped the better he jumped.

“We’re up against it on statistics, but Well Chief won the Arkle off one run and so did Western Warhorse when he beat Champagne Fever.”

Mullins won the Arkle in 2023 and 2024, before Henderson’s Jango Baie got up to win the contest last season. 

READ MORE: The Final Furlong Podcast – Listen to the latest editions here

Three-time Grade One winner

Kopek Des Bordes heads a pair of Mullins runners with a leading chance in this race, with last year’s County Hurdle winner Kargese priced at 5/1. 

She is a three-time Grade One winner over hurdles and has recorded placed efforts behind Majborough, Sir Gino and State Man in that sphere. 

Kargese will arrive here having finished second in a Grade Two Hurdles event for Mares on her first outing of the season, before winning the first of her two Chase starts.

The horse that beat her in the latter and latest outing was trainer Gordon Elliott’s Romeo Coolio, who is also priced at 5/1 for this race. 

Elliot’s gelding began the season with a comfortable Beginners Chase victory, before winning three consecutive Grade One races over fences. 

Thrilling contest

His win over Kargese looked in doubt turning for home, in what was a thrilling contest, but he rallied to take victory after the mare’s energy reserves seemed to bottom line, before she ran on to close to within a neck at the line. 

The race in which he will compete at the Cheltenham Festival remains undecided, as he trades at a similar price for the Brown Advisory and Ryanair. 

Irish Panther comes next in the market, but he looks to have a lot to find on the form of last season. 

He finished 10th in the County Hurdle and despite putting in some respectable efforts behind Fact To File and Ballyburn three years ago, he remained a Maiden until October. 

The switch to fences has seen him win one of his two races, though his defeat was a narrow one behind Romeo Coolio at Leopardstown, on Boxing Day. 

Others in the market include Mullins-trained pair Kappa Jy Pyke and Salvator Mundi, but it would be unlikely for either to compete in this race. 

Trainer Sam Thomas also has Steel Ally entered into this race and though he is priced at 14/1, he is unbeaten in three runs over fences – two of which were Novice Grade Two events. 

READ NEXT: Advertise in the April 2026 edition of Racing Ahead Magazine featuring the Grand National and Scottish National!