Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase
(Registered as The November)
Grade 2, Cheltenham 13:45
£75,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus,
1m 7f 199y, Class 1  
Saturday 15th November 2025

FormRatings

This race has long been a springboard for future stars, and while the field this year may be small, the six who go to post make up a fascinating little contest.

Twelve months ago, it was L’Eau Du Sud who claimed the spoils before going on to take the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown. Two years before that, Banbridge lifted this very prize on his way to King George glory, while the roll of honour also boasts names like Third Time Lucki, Eldorado Allen and Put The Kettle On — all of whom went on to make their mark at a higher level.

This time, Henry de Bromhead sends over the ante-post favourite July Flower, who made quite the impression on her chasing bow at Limerick, stretching right away to score by 11 lengths. Already proven in good company, having run with credit in both the Mares’ Hurdle and the Mares Champion Hurdle, she’s clearly held in high regard by connections.

James Owen can’t hide his excitement ahead of Burdett Road’s first crack over fences at the Cheltenham November Meeting on Saturday.

The five-year-old, a 150-rated performer over hurdles, now turns his attention to a novice chasing campaign over two miles. It’s familiar turf—he captured the Greatwood Hurdle on the Old Course last season and chased home Golden Ace at 66/1 in the Champion Hurdle in March.

Speaking on the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, Owen said: “We schooled him last year over fences and he took to it quite well, but it’s just basically where we go with him this year really.

“He’s schooled really well at home, he seems to attack his fences so fingers crossed he can do that on the track.

“It’s a big ask going to Cheltenham, but the Old Course he’s run very well around and we’re going to find out on Saturday whether it’s for him or not.

“We felt he’s taken a big step forward for that run [over hurdles at Kempton] and he actually looked a little bit rusty.

“He’s quite brave, I wouldn’t want to be on him! But he’ll be good fun to watch. We’re looking forward to it.”

Dan Skelton bids to follow up last year’s success with Be Aware, who got his head in front at Stratford last month, while Stencil, Brentford Hope and Breaking Cover round out the sextet — and you sense that, for a race of only six runners, there’ll be no shortage of storylines by the time they touch down over the last.

Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase
£75,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m 7f 199y, Class 2
6 runners
Going: Heavy, Soft in places

NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 2388-1 Be Aware 6 11-4 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
2 311212 Breaking Cover 7 11-4 Anthony Honeyball Jonathan Burke
3 2024-8 Brentford Hope 8 11-4 Harry Derham Paul O'Brien
4 1322-2 Burdett Road 5 11-4 James Owen Sam Twiston-Davies
5 315-51 July Flower 6 10-11 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe
6 11620- Stencil 4 10-10 Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm Harry Cobden

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