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2026 Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase Preview
The November Novices Chase takes place during the November Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse each year and is currently run under the title of Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase.
The race is a Grade 2 that is run over two miles, in which the runners will face twelve fences. Runners aged four or older who are novices over fences are eligible to enter.
Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase Information:
- Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase Past Winners
- Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase Trainer Statistics
- Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase Jockey Statistics
To see which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are tipping throughout the card that includes this race, head over to the Cheltenham tips on the day of the race. Do they agree with the runners on the trend shortlist, or are they predicting other runners? You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Schedule for the November Meeting at Cheltenham section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2021 when the race had an over-round of 107%. The race in 2006 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 115%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase, the over-round has been 110%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £110 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase races over the last 20 renewals:
- Lalor (3:50.90) in 2018
- Banbridge (3:54.72) in 2022
- Al Ferof (3:54.90) in 2011
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase next time out, then you would have backed a total of 9 winners. Backing all 19 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of +15.42. Remember to bookmark the racing tips page to access the OLBG racing picks easily daily.
When looking over the past 20 renewals, a time of 3:50.90 was set by Lalor in 2018, trained by Kayley Woollacott and ridden by Richard Johnson, which is the quickest time over that period. The slowest winning time was set in 2012 when Captain Conan won in a time of 4:17.49 for trainer Nicky Henderson, who booked Barry Geraghty in the saddle.
Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase Past Winners
Here are the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won, along with the age & weight of the horse. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 4:02.56 | July Flower (FR) 6yo 10-11 6/5F | Darragh O'Keeffe Henry De Bromhead (IRE) |
| 2024 3:55.61 | LEau du Sud (FR) 6yo 11-4 10/11F | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2023 4:04.93 | Homme Public (FR) 6yo 11-4 13/2 | Henry Brooke Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero (GB) |
| 2022 3:54.72 | Banbridge (IRE) 6yo 11-4 11/8F | J J Slevin Joseph Patrick O'Brien (IRE) |
| 2021 3:55.51 | Third Time Lucki (IRE) 6yo 11-5 2/5F | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2020 4:04.41 | Eldorado Allen (FR) 6yo 11-2 13/2 | Robbie Power Colin Tizzard (GB) |
| 2019 4:09.63 | Put The Kettle On (IRE) 5yo 10-9 6/1 | Aidan Coleman Henry De Bromhead (IRE) |
| 2018 3:50.90 | Lalor (GER) 6yo 11-2 11/2 | Richard Johnson Kayley Woollacott (GB) |
| 2017 4:06.50 | North Hill Harvey (GB) 6yo 11-5 6/4 | Harry Skelton Dan Skelton (GB) |
| 2016 4:02.40 | Le Prezien (FR) 5yo 11-2 8/11F | Barry Geraghty Paul Nicholls (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase have been based:
- GB: 17 winners with an additional 14 placings from 87 runners
- IRE: 3 winners with an additional 0 placings from 16 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 1 runner
2025 Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase Replay
Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase over the last 20 renewals is Paul Nicholls, who has won the race six times, with those six winners coming from Tatenen (2008), Tataniano (2009), Ghizao (2010), Al Ferof (2011), Dodging Bullets (2013) and Le Prezien (2016). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase are Philip Hobbs (3 wins), Dan Skelton (3 wins) and Henry De Bromhead (2 wins).
Here are some of the top Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Nicholls | 17-6-10 | +0.51 | +4.41 |
| Philip Hobbs | 7-3-4 | +3.36 | -0.11 |
| Dan Skelton | 4-3-4 | +1.81 | +0.42 |
| Henry De Bromhead | 6-2-2 | +3.20 | -3.25 |
| Nicky Henderson | 9-1-2 | -6.90 | -4.31 |
| Joseph Patrick O'Brien | 2-1-1 | +0.38 | -0.14 |
| Charlie Mann | 1-1-1 | +10.00 | +6.00 |
| Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero | 1-1-1 | +6.50 | +0.00 |
| Kayley Woollacott | 1-1-1 | +5.50 | +3.44 |
| Nigel Twiston-Davies | 8-0-1 | -8.00 | -2.69 |
Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase over the last 20 renewals is Harry Skelton, who has won the race three times, with those three winners coming from North Hill Harvey (2017), Third Time Lucki (2021) and LEau du Sud (2024).
Here are some of the top Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Skelton | 4-3-4 | +1.81 | +0.42 |
| Henry Brooke | 1-1-1 | +6.50 | +0.00 |
| J J Slevin | 1-1-1 | +1.38 | +0.86 |
| Darragh O'Keeffe | 1-1-1 | +1.20 | +0.75 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 7-0-1 | -7.00 | -2.69 |
| Harry Cobden | 5-0-2 | -5.00 | -1.19 |
| Sean Bowen | 2-0-1 | -2.00 | +0.70 |
| Jonjo O'Neill Jr | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -1.00 |
| Nico de Boinville | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -1.00 |
| Gavin Sheehan | 1-0-0 | -1.00 | +0.00 |
2026 Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 2, PU, 1, 1, UR, 1, 1
The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (74%) - No bigger than 10/1
- 20 / 20 (74%) - In a field of 5 - 19 (LTO)
- 20 / 20 (76%) - Break of 16 - 373 days (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Off a break of 16 - 243 days
- 20 / 20 (79%) - Achieved an RPR of 133+ (Last 3)
- 20 / 20 (80%) - In a field of 5 - 15 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Had 4 - 12 placings (Career)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Won within last 4 starts
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Placed within last 2 starts
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Fewer than 5 races (Chase)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - No bigger than 33/1 (Career Place)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Had 2 - 8 wins (Career)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Within the first 5 of the market
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Ran in 6 - 28 races (Career)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Achieved a TS of 109+ (Last 5)
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Cheltenham racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase by adding a tip on the race here.
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Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase Trend Analysis
✅ The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +13.75, is when runners were aged 6.
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 2 career wins over the trip, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-22.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase is Cheltenham; there have been a total of 5 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out. The next best course, which has produced the second most winners, is Aintree; there have been a total of 3 winners of this race who ran at Aintree last time out.
The race is open to both sexes, with male runners having produced a total of 18 winners from a total of 101 runners, while female runners have produced 2 winners from a total of 3 runners.
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Moon Over Miami in 2007, winning for Charlie Mann at odds of 10/1 under the guidance of Noel Fehily. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 10 winning favourites in the race. Remember to bookmark the best racing tipsters page so you can get easy access to the best OLBG racing tipsters.
Route to the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - July Flower Limerick - 1st of 9 (8/15) | Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase |
| 2024 - LEau du Sud Stratford - 1st of 5 (8/15) | Blaze A Trail Stratford Hat-trick Hero Handicap Chase |
| 2023 - Homme Public Wetherby - 1st of 7 (5/2) | Flipit Sell Your Car Better Handicap Chase |
| 2022 - Banbridge Gowran Park - 1st of 6 (5/6) | Join Gowran Park Racing Club Beginners Chase |
| 2021 - Third Time Lucki Cheltenham - 1st of 5 (11/8) | squareintheair.com Novices Chase |
| 2020 - Eldorado Allen Newton Abbot - 1st of 8 (4/1) | Follow@WillHillRacing On Twitter Novices Chase |
| 2019 - Put The Kettle On Tipperary - 2nd of 6 (6/1) | Like A Butterfly Novice Chase |
| 2018 - Lalor Aintree - 1st of 13 (14/1) | Top Novices' Hurdle |
| 2017 - North Hill Harvey Cheltenham - 1st of 7 (10/3) | squareintheair.com Novices Chase |
| 2016 - Le Prezien Uttoxeter - 2nd of 6 (11/8) | Kalahari King Beginners Chase |
Schedule for the November Meeting at Cheltenham
Here is the schedule for the November Meeting at Cheltenham, each race will be linked to the race blog and detail last year's winner in the table below.
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 (Friday) Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase | Favori De Champdou (FR) 11yo - 9/1 | Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy |
| Day 1 (Friday) Hyde Novices Hurdle | No Drama This End (IRE) 5yo - 5/1 | Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden |
| Day 1 (Friday) Shloer Chase | LEau du Sud (FR) 7yo - 100/30 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| Day 2 (Saturday) Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase | July Flower (FR) 6yo - 6/5 | Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe |
| Day 2 (Saturday) JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle | One Horse Town (IRE) 3yo - 100/30 | Harry Derham Paul O'Brien |
| Day 2 (Saturday) Paddy Power Gold Cup | Panic Attack (IRE) 9yo - 6/1 | Dan Skelton Harry Skelton |
| Day 3 (Sunday) Greatwood Hurdle | Alexei (GER) 5yo - 100/30 | Joe Tizzard Brendan Powell |
| Day 3 (Sunday) November Meeting Handicap Chase | Marble Sands (FR) 9yo - 7/1 | David Killahena & Graeme McPherson Kielan Woods |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase Preview are Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse racing tips team, looking after the tipsters and managing the tips settlement, whilst also creating and managing all of the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
Darren Brett
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Andy Powell
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