Cheltenham

cheltenham festival / 2009 news /

The Irish Independent Arkle Chase
10/03/09

1st (7) Forpadydeplasterer 8/1
2nd (12) Kalahari King 8/1
3rd (16) Planet Of Sound 10/1

Forpadydeplasterer
© racing-images.co.uk

Pady Plasters the Winner’s Enclosure Red And White

The winner’s enclosure was a sea of red and white following the victory of Forpadydeplasterer in the Grade One £170,000 The Irish Independent Arkle Trophy, the two-mile champion novice chase.

Owned by the Sunderland-supporting Goat Racing Syndicate and sporting the red and white colours of the aforementioned Premiership football team (Sunderland shareholder Charlie Chawke is a syndicate menber), the seven-year-old was always in a handy position and stayed on resolutely after the last under jockey Barry Geraghty to hold off the strong finishing surge of Kalahari King by a short-head.

Successful trainer Tom Cooper said: “The Arkle has always been the plan for this horse and it is always great when it all comes together.

“Barry Geraghty really is the man for the moment at Cheltenham and his record here is just amazing. He is a genius and a man for the big days.

“That’s my second Grade One at Cheltenham (Cooper handled the 2003 Weatherbys Champion Bumper heroine Total Enjoyment) so I’m catching him up!

“The horse has lots of courage and the way everything worked out today was unbelievable.

“He had a hold-up over Christmas which meant he missed around 12 days work before the Irish Arkle and the second day he ran at Leopardstown the ground was just too sticky for him.

“He could maybe go to Punchestown now.”

Paying tribute to the winning syndicate of owners Cooper added: “You would maybe think that training for a syndicate could be a problem with so many people involved but there has never been a problem. The owners have been an unbelievable bunch and supportive all the way.”

Successful jockey Barry Geraghty added: “I enjoyed that. He was very good. He's flown the second last and was out through the wings again at the last. There was probably not a whole lot in front then and he was on his own but then Kalahari King came. He's a lovely horse.

“It was tight enough at the third last and I didn't want to set him racing early unless I popped the third last but I was riding on him at the second last and he's stayed on.”

Paddy Power rate for Padydeplasterer at 16/1 for the 2010 Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase while he is 10/1 for the same race with Boylesports.

KALAHARI NOT QUITE THE KING

Kalahari King could hardly have come closer to winning the Irish Independent Arkle Chase, grinding away at the lead of Paddydeplaster up the final hill, but just failing by a short-head.

“What was it, about a quarter of an inch?” said the trainer Ferdy Murphy.

“Graham [Lee] said Kalahari King has jumped absolutely fantastically. We got away with the ground, would have been better if it had been better ground. We couldn’t have done much more,” added the trainer.

“He’s a good horse, we like to think we’ve done the job right with him. We haven’t over-pressurised him, but we’ve also got the experience into him and he’s coped. It was a rough race and he’s coped with it. There’s no hiding place here,” said Murphy.

For the second successive race, the Philip Hobbs team found themselves in the winner’s enclosure. Charles Lloyd-Baker, owner of the third placed Planet Of Sound and a director of Cheltenham Racecourse, said that the trainer had had high hopes for the horse, but Richard [Johnson] reported that he was still very green and needed space at his fences.

Made In Taipan, trained by Tom Mullins and ridden by Davy Russell, made much of the running and was still second at the final fence. He tired on the run-in and eventually finished fourth.

Mullins said: "For a moment we thought there might be an Irish one-two [the winner, Forpadydeplasterer, is trained in Ireland by Tom Cooper], but it wasn’t to be.

"Our horse ran well - I’m not disappointed, because to finish in the first four is very good and we think there’s more to come. He probably wasn’t fast enough over this trip, so we’ll be looking to run him over further, probably at Aintree if he comes out of this okay.

"Davy said the horse was a bit buzzy going to the start, so he decided to jump him out handy in a bid to get him to settle."

Paul Nicholls, whose horse 4/1 favourite Tatenen fell at the second, said: “There’s not a lot we can say about Tatenen. Star de Mohaison won’t run in the William Hill Trophy Handicap chase because the ground is too soft and Ruby has switched to Dear Villez.

THE IRISH INDEPENDENT ARKLE CHASE FACTS AND FIGURES

1. 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 2009 running has total prize money of £170,000. It was known as the Cotswold Chase before 1969.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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 in the two of the past three renewals 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). Robert Thornton was on Voy Por Ustedes in 2006 and My Way De Solzen in 2007.

6. Irish trainers have won The Irish Independent Arkle Chase nine times, including three of the last 13 runnings with Klairon Davis (1995), Ventana Canyon (1996) and Moscow Flyer (2002).

7. 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).

8. 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.

9. 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 CHALLENGE TROPHY CHASE
Previous Results

2008-WINNER-TIDAL BAY 7-11-07 Owner-Andrea & Graham Wylie; Trainer-Howard Johnson; Jockey-Denis O’Regan; SP-6/1
2ND-Kruguyrova 5-11-00 Owner-Ronald Brimacombe; Trainer-Charles Egerton; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-9/1
3RD-Noland 7-11-07 Owner-John Hales; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-7/4 Fav
14 ran, Time-4m 3.40s Dist- 13, 1½

2007-WINNER-MY WAY DE SOLZEN 7-11-07 Owner-Ben Winfield, A Longman, J Wright & C Fenton; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Robert Thornton; SP-7/2
2ND-Fair Along 5-11-02 Owner-Alan Peterson; Trainer-Philip Hobbs; Jockey-Richard Johnson; SP-100/30 Fav
3RD-Jack The Giant 5-11-02 Owner-Hanbury Syndicate; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mick Fitzgerald; SP-14/1
13 ran, Time-3m 51.70s Dist-5, 1

2006-WINNER-VOY POR USTEDES 5-11-02 Owner-Sir Robert Ogden; Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Robert Thornton; SP-15/2
2ND-Monet’s Garden 8-11-07 Owner-David Wesley Yates; Trainer-Nicky Richards; Jockey-Tony Dobbin; SP-8/1
3RD-Foreman 8-11-07 Owner-J P McManus; Trainer-Thierry Doumen FR; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-5/1
14 ran, Time-3m 52.30s Dist-1¼, 4 9/2 Fav Racing Demon (7th)

2005-WINNER-CONTRABAND 7-11-07 Owner-David Johnson; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Timmy Murphy; SP-7/1
2ND-Ashley Brook 7-11-07 Owner-Elizabeth Ellis; Trainer-Kevin Bishop; Jockey-Paddy Brennan; SP-20/1

3RD-River City 8-11-07 Owner-Mrs S Rowley-Williams & Partners; Trainer-Noel Chance; Jockey-Tom Doyle; SP- 10/1 19 ran, Time-3m 53.10s Dist-1, 4 11/4 Fav War Of Attrition (7th)

2004-WINNER-WELL CHIEF 5-11-03 Owner-David Johnson; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-9/1
2ND-Kicking King 6-11-07 Owner-Conor Clarkson; Trainer-Tom Taaffe IRE; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-7/2
3RD-Le Duc 5-11-03 Owner-Judy Stewart; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Joe Tizzard; SP-25/1
16 ran, Time-3m 55.80s Dist-1, 7 5/2 Fav Thisthatantother (f)

2003-WINNER-AZERTYUIOP 6-11-08 Owner-John & Lisa Hales; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-5/4 Fav
2ND-Impek 7-11-08 Owner-Jim Lewis; Trainer-Henrietta Knight; Jockey-Jim Culloty; SP-6/1
3RD-Isio 7-11-08 Owner-Sir Peter & Lady Gibbings; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mick FitzGerald; SP-10/1
9 ran, Time-3m 56.70s Dist-11, 1

2002-WINNER-MOSCOW FLYER 8-11-08 Owner-Brian Kearney; Trainer-Jessica Harrington IRE; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-11/2
2ND-Seebald 7-11-08 Owner-The Macca and Growler Partnership; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-5/2 Fav
3RD-Armaturk 5-11-03 Owner-Barry Marshall; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Timmy Murphy; SP-8/1
12 ran, Time-3m 50.50s Dist-4, 13

2001 - Cancelled

2000-WINNER-TIUTCHEV 7-11-08 Owner-The Liars Poker Partnership; Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mick FitzGerald; SP-8/1
2ND-Cenkos 6-11-08 Owner-Judy Stewart; Trainer-Oliver Sherwood; Jockey-David Casey; SP-10/1
3RD-Decoupage 8-11-08 Owner-Decoupage Partnership; Trainer-Charles Egerton; Jockey-Norman Williamson; SP-7/4 Fav 12 ran, Time-3m 46.5s Dist-8, 8

1999-WINNER-FLAGSHIP UBERALLES 5-11-00 Owner-Elizabeth Gutner & Michael Krysztofiak Racing; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Joe Tizzard; SP-11/1
2ND-Tresor De Mai 5-11-00 Owner-Joe Moran; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Richard Dunwoody; SP-14/1
3RD-Nipper Reed 9-11-8 Owner-Graham Piper; Trainer-Rod Simpson; Jockey-Adrian Maguire; SP-10/1
14 ran, Time-3m 58.1s Dist-2½, 14 4/1 Fav His Song (5th)

1998-WINNER-CHAMPLEVE 5-11-00 Owner-David Johnson; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-13/2
2ND-Hill Society 6-11-08 Owner-Pat Garvey; Trainer-Noel Meade IRE; Jockey- Richard Dunwoody; SP-8/1
3RD-Mandys Mantino 8-11-08 Owner-John Plackett ; Trainer-Josh Gifford; Jockey-Philip Hide; SP-25/1
16 ran Time-3m 55.1s Dist-sh, 1½ 11/2 Fav Kadastrof (10th)

1997-WINNER-OR ROYAL 6-11-08 Owner-David Johnson; Trainer-Martin Pipe; Jockey-Tony McCoy; SP-11/2
2ND-Squire Silk 8-11-08 Owner-Robert Ogden; Trainer-Andrew Turnell; Jockey-Jamie Osborne; SP-11/2
3RD-Celibate 6-11-08 Owner-Stamford Bridge Partnership; Trainer-Charlie Mann; Jockey-Jamie Railton; SP-13/2
9 ran Time-3m 52.5s Dist-½, 6 11/10 Fav Mulligan (f)

1996-WINNER-VENTANA CANYON 7-11-08 Owner-Philip Myerscough; Trainer-Edward O’Grady IRE; Jockey-Richard Dunwoody; SP-7/1
2ND-Arctic Kinsman 8-11-08 Owner-Rosie Hambro and D Milne; Trainer-Nigel Twiston-Davies; Jockey-Carl Llewellyn; SP-13/2
3RD-Super Coin 8-11-08 Owner-George and Joan Brookes; Trainer-Richard Lee; Jockey-Pat McLoughlin; SP-66/1 16 ran, Time-4m 0.5s Dist-20, 8 7/2 Fav Draborgie (p.u.)

THE IRISH INDEPENDENT ARKLE CHASE ROLL OF HONOUR
(The Irish Independent Arkle Chase since 2000, Guinness Arkle Chase 1994-99, Waterford Crystal Arkle Chase 1991-93, no sponsor 1969-90, Cotswold Chase before 1969)

Year Winner Age/Wt Jockey Trainer Owner SP Ran

2008 Tidal Bay 7-11-07 Denis O’Regan Howard Johnson Andrea & Graham Wylie 6/1 14
2007 My Way De Solzen 7-11-07 Robert Thornton Alan King Ben Winfield, A Longman, J Wright & C Fenton 7/2 13
2006 Voy Por Ustedes 5-11-02 Robert Thornton Alan King Sir Robert Ogden 15/2 14
2005 Contraband 7-11-07 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe David Johnson 7/1 19
2004 Well Chief 5-11-03 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe David Johnson 9/1 16
2003 Azertyuiop 6-11-08 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls John and Lisa Hales 5/4F 9
2002 Moscow Flyer 8-11-08 Barry Geraghty Jessica Harrington IRE Brian Kearney 11/2 12
2001 No race (Foot and Mouth disease)
2000 Tiutchev 7-11-08 Mick FitzGerald Nicky Henderson Liars Poker Partnership 8/1 12
1999 Flagship Uberalles 5-11-00 Joe Tizzard Paul Nicholls Elizabeth Gutner/Michael Krysztofiak 11/1 14
1998 Champleve 5-11-00 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe David Johnson 13/2 16
1997 Or Royal 6-11-08 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe David Johnson 11/2 9
1996 Ventana Canyon 7-11-08 Richard Dunwoody Edward O’Grady IRE Philip Myerscough 7/1 16
1995 Klairon Davis 6-11-08 Francis Woods Arthur Moore IRE Chris Jones 7/2F 11
1994 Nakir 6-11-08 Jamie Osborne Simon Christian Jim Lewis 9/1 10
1993 Travado 7-11-08 Jamie Osborne Nicky Henderson Mrs Michael Ennever 5/1 8
1992 Young Pokey 7-11-08 Jamie Osborne Oliver Sherwood Maurice Oberstein 4/1 11
1991 Remittance Man 7-11-08 Richard Dunwoody Nicky Henderson Jim Collins 85/40 F 14
1990 Comandante 8-11-08 Peter Hobbs Josh Gifford Maurice Pinto 9/2 14
1989 Waterloo Boy 6-11-08 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson Michael Deeley 20/1 14
1988 Danish Flight 9-11-08 Mark Dwyer Jimmy FitzGerald A F Budge (Equine) Ltd 11/2 12
1987 Gala’s Image 7-11-08 Richard Linley Mercy Rimell Sheikh Ali Abu Khamsin 25/1 19
1986 Oregon Trail 6-11-08 Ronnie Beggan Simon Christian Henry Ponsonby 14/1 14
1985 Boreen Prince 8-11-08 Niall Madden Andrew McNamara IRE William Lenehan 15/2 16
1984 Bobsline 8-11-08 Frank Berry Francis Flood IRE R H Kelsey 5/4F 8
1983 Ryeman 6-11-08 Alan Brown Peter Easterby D Slater 16/1 16
1982 The Brockshee 7-11-08 Tommy Carberry Arthur Moore IRE T Murray 12/1 19
1981 Clayside 7-11-08 Alan Brown Peter Easterby Mrs D Grant 5/2F 13
1980 Anaglogs Daughter 7-11-08 Tommy Carberry Bill Durkan IRE A Durkan 9/4 9
1979 Chinrullah 7-11-08 Dessie Hughes Mick O’Toole IRE Mrs R Eastwood 10/11F 8
1978 Alverton 8-11-08 Graham Thorner Peter Easterby Snailwell Stud Co Ltd 5/2 12
1977 Tip The Wink 7-11-08 Dessie Hughes Pat Taylor Michael Simmonds 15/2 10
1976 Roaring Wind 8-11-08 Reg Crank Roy Cambidge S Jones 11/1 16
1975 Broncho II 6-11-11 Colin Tinkler Tony Dickinson Frank Tyldesely 8/1 12
1974 Canasta Lad 8-11-11 Jeff King Peter Bailey Mrs R Hague 2/1F 10
1973 Denys Adventure 8-12-01 Graham Thorner Tim Forster Mrs Robert Henriques 8/1 10
1972 Pendil 7-12-01 Richard Pitman Fred Winter Mrs C Kinney 10/11F 10
1971 Alpheus 6-11-08 Eddie Wright Tom Dreaper IRE Lord Donoughmore 15/1 11
1970 Soloning 5-11-00 Paul Kelleway Fred Winter Mrs C E Thornton 4/1 13
1969 Chatham 5-11-00 Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell C Knott 10/1 10
1968 The Hustler 6-11-12 Barry Brogan Earl Jones Mrs D E Crouch 20/1 11
1967 Arctic Stream 7-12-02 Ben Hannon P Rooney IRE J A Duffy 8/1 9
1966 Arctic Sunset 6-12-06 George Milburn Ken Oliver J R McNair 3/1 9
1965 Flyingbolt 6-12-04 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE Mrs Jean Wilkinson 4/9F 13
1964 Greektown 8-11-08 Michael Scudamore Willie Stephenson Lionel Ensten 13/2 16
1963 Ben Stack 6-12-01 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE Duchess of Westminster 13/8F 17
1962 Prudent Barney 8-12-01 Johnny East Bobby Renton Lurline Brotherton 20/1 9
1961 Mountcashel King 6-12-04 Pat Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE John Glyn 2/5F 12
1960 Mazurka 6-11-12 Ron Harrison Ron Smyth Mrs Chris Barnes 10/1 25
1959 Flame Gun 8-12-04 Fred Winter Charlie Mallon Michael Sobell 7/2 14
1958 Fortria 6-12-01 Tom Taaffe Tom Dreaper IRE A Craigie 7/2 17
1957 Ballyatom 5-11-04 Mr Bob McCreery George Beeby David Evans-Bevan 8/1 13
1956 Sir Ken 9-12-03 Tim Molony Willie Stephenson Maurice Kingsley 5/4F 17
1955 Manuscrit 5-11-00 Johnny Bullock Fulke Walwyn Mme Peggy Hennessy 10/1 20
1954 Armorial III 5-11-05 Rene Emery Fulke Walwyn Mrs M de Pret-Roose 7/2F 17
1953 Bramble Tudor 5-11-12 Tim Molony Stewart Wight Lord Joicey 11/4 9
1952 Nautical Print 5-11-00 Tommy Cusack Gerry Wilson Lt Col J F Harrison 6/1 15
1951 Red Steel 5-11-00 Dick Francis Frank Cundell Hugh Sumner 4/1F 15
1950 High Level 5-11-04 Johnny Bullock Fred Rimell T E Ward 9/2 14
1949 Grand Refrain 5-11-05 Glen Kelly Bobby Norris Lord Abergavenny 9/4F 12
1948 Top Cash 6-12-05 Glen Kelly Bobby Norris Lord Abergavenny 3/1 9
1947 No race (abandoned due to snow and frost)
1946 Bright Penny 6-11-12 Glen Kelly Bobby Norris Lord Penrhyn 5/1 15