Arkle was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. A bay gelding by Archive out of Bright Cherry, Arkle was the grandson of the unbeaten flat racehorse and prepotent sire Nearco. Arkle was bred by Mary Baker of Malahow House, near Naul, County Dublin, Ireland, and was born at Ballymacoll Stud, County Meath. He was owned by Anne Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster, who named him after the mountain Arkle in Sutherland, Scotland, that bordered her Sutherland estate. Trained by Tom Dreaper at Greenogue, Kilsallaghan, in County Dublin, he was ridden during his steeplechasing career by Pat Taaffe.
The Irish Grand National is a National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Fairyhouse over a distance of about 3 miles and 5 furlongs, and during its running there are twenty-four fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year on Easter Monday.
The Arkle Challenge Trophy is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham, England, over a distance of about 2 miles, and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and takes place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The Brown Advisory Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and half a furlong, and during its running there are twenty fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
William Peter Mullins is an Irish racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is a seventeen-time Irish National Hunt Champion trainer. Mullins is the most successful trainer in the history of the Cheltenham Festival, having saddled more than 100 winners.
The November Novices' Chase, currently known as the Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices' Chase, is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles, and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in November.
The Maghull Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles, and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Grand National meeting in early April.
The Punchestown Champion Chase, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the William Hill Champion Chase, is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles and half a furlong and during its running there are eleven fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April.
The Barberstown Castle Novice Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt Steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles, and during its running there are eleven fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.
The Dr P. J. Moriarty Novice Chase, currently known for sponsorship purposes as the Ladbrokes Novice Chase, is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs, and during its running there are fourteen fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in February.
The Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 2 miles, and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year in February.
The Racing Post Novice Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Ireland. The race is run at Leopardstown Racecourse in December, over a distance of 2 miles and 1 furlong and during its running there are 11 fences to be jumped.
The Paddy's Reward Club Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland. It is run at Leopardstown Racecourse in December, over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong and during the race there are 11 fences to be jumped. The race was first run in 1998 as a Listed race, before being run as a Grade 1 race from 2007 onwards. The race is sponsored by Paddy Power bookmakers and has had various titles promoting Paddy Power products during its history. The 2019 race was run as the Paddy's Rewards Club "Loyalty's Dead, Live For Rewards" Chase.
The Killiney Novice Chase is a Grade 3 National Hunt chase in Ireland. It is currently run at Punchestown Racecourse in early January, over a distance of about 2 miles and 3½ furlongs.
The Hilly Way Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland. It is run at Cork Racecourse in December, over a distance of about 2 miles and half a furlong.
The Manifesto Novices' Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs, and during its running there are sixteen fences to be jumped. The race is for novice chasers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Grand National meeting in early April.
Daryl Jacob is an Irish National Hunt jockey who rode for trainer Paul Nicholls as second jockey to Ruby Walsh. When Walsh left the Nicholls yard Jacob took over as principal rider. He won at the Cheltenham festival for the first time in 2011 on Zarkandar in the Triumph Hurdle. His second Cheltenham Festival win was in 2014 on Lac Fontana in the Vincent O Brien County Handicap Hurdle on the last day of the festival. However, before the start of the next race he suffered a broken leg, knee and elbow after Port Melon crashed into the rail.
The Dublin Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Ireland which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong, and during its running there are eleven fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in early February. The race was first run as a Grade 2 race in 2018 as part of a new Dublin Racing Festival and was upgraded to Grade 1 status from the 2019 running.
Paul Townend is an Irish jockey who competes in National Hunt racing. Townend comes from Lisgoold in County Cork and is the stable jockey for Irish trainer Willie Mullins. Townend has worked for Mullins since he was just fifteen years of age, beginning his career as an apprentice flat racing jockey. He is a six-time Irish jump racing Champion Jockey. He was champion in the 2010–11, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, and 2022–23 seasons.
Footpad is a French thoroughbred racehorse who won multiple Grade 1 races in Great Britain, Ireland and France.
