CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL NEWS: SINGER CAPITAL MARKETS ANNOUNCED AS NEW SPONSOR OF GRADE ONE ARKLE NOVICES’ CHASE
Singer Capital Markets – a leading UK Investment Bank– is today announced as the new sponsor of the Arkle Novices’ Chase at The Festival, one of the most prestigious races in the National Hunt calendar. The race will now be run as the Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase, with the winning connections receiving the Singer Arkle trophy.
The £200,000 Grade One contest is the championship novices’ chase staged over two miles and takes place on the opening day of The Festival, Champion Day (Tuesday 10 March 2026).
Based in London, Singer Capital Markets is a UK capital markets specialist supporting UK growth companies across their lifecycle. The firm has advised clients on 130+ transactions since 2020 totalling more than £8.4 billion in deal value and helped clients raise £3 billion in capital. Singer capital markets also operate one of the largest institutional and retail equity trading platforms in the UK.
This sponsorship marks Singer Capital Markets’ first involvement in horseracing, building on its commitment to elite sport demonstrated through its sponsorship of Chelsea Women and Women’s rackets sports. It reflects the firm’s alignment with performance, discipline and ambition at the highest level.
Tim Cockroft, Chair of Singer Capital Markets, explained: “The Arkle Novices’ Chase is a race synonymous with excellence, ambition and rising talent - qualities that closely reflect Singer Capital Markets and the clients we support. This sponsorship is a natural fit for us as a firm where ambition meets capital, and we are proud to be associated with one of the most iconic events in British sport. This is a great way to celebrate our 20th Year.“
Guy Lavender, CEO of Cheltenham Racecourse, added: “It is fantastic to welcome Singer Capital Markets as the new sponsor of the Arkle Novices’ Chase.
“The Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase showcases elite and fast young chasers and its roll of honour features so many great names, including Flyingbolt and Sprinter Sacre to name but two.
“Singer Capital Markets is a firm that is highly regarded for its support of ambitious UK growth companies and that shared focus on backing future success makes this a fitting partnership and one we are very excited about.”
Entries for the Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase were announced on Tuesday 20th February. Lulamba is the current favourite and will be bidding to hand trainer Nicky Henderson a record-extending ninth victory in the contest.
Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 1m 7f 199y
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Grade One Singer Arkle Chase, the two-mile novice chasing championship race, was inaugurated with its current title in 1969, after Arkle’s three wins in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (1964-66). It was known as the Cotswold Chase before 1969.
FIELD SIZE
The lowest number of runners has been five (2018, 2021 and 2025) and the highest 19 (1987 and 2005) as the Arkle Chase – though there were 25 runners in the Cotswold Chase in 1960. The current safety limit is 18.
MOST SUCCESSFUL OWNER
The late David Johnson with four winners – Or Royal (1997), Champleve (1998), Well Chief (2004) and Contraband (2005).
MOST SUCCESSFUL TRAINER
Nicky Henderson is the most successful trainer of all time with eight victories - Remittance Man (1991), Travado (1993), Tiutchev (2000), Sprinter Sacre (2012), Simonsig (2013), Altior (2017), Shishkin (2021) and Jango Baie (2025).
MOST SUCCESSFUL JOCKEY
The most successful jockey is Barry Geraghty, with four wins – Moscow Flyer (2002), Forpadydeplasterer (2009), Sprinter Sacre (2012) and Simonsig (2013). Paul Townend and Nico de Boinville are the most successful current jockeys with three wins each. Townend scored on Duc Des Genievres (2019), El Fabiolo (2023) and Gaelic Warrior (2024), while de Boinville partnered Altior (2017), Shishkin (2021) and Jango Baie (2025).
BETTING
The longest-priced winner is Western Warhorse, successful at 33-1 in 2014. The shortest-priced winners are Douvan (2016) and Altior (2017), both 1-4 chances.
In the 78 runnings since 1946, a total of 25 favourites (just over 32 per cent) have prevailed.
AGE
The oldest winners were the nine-year-olds Sir Ken (1956) and Danish Flight (1988).
The five-year-olds Grand Refrain (1949), High Level (1950), Red Steel (1951), Nautical Print (1952), Bramble Tudor (1953), Armorial III (1954), Manuscrit (1955), Ballyatom (1957), Chatham (1969), Soloning (1970), Champleve (1998), Flagship Uberalles (1999), Well Chief (2004) and Voy Por Ustedes (2006) are the youngest winners.
The overall breakdown by age is as follows:
5yo - 14 wins
6yo - 28 wins
7yo - 22 wins
8yo – 12 wins
9yo - 2 wins
RECORD TIME
The fastest time for the race was 3m 46.5s by Tiutchev in 2000.
OVERSEAS-TRAINED WINNERS
IRELAND (23): Fortria (1958); Mountcashel King (1961); Ben Stack (1963), Flyingbolt (1965), Arctic Stream (1967), Alpheus (1971), Chinrullah (1979), Anaglogs Daughter (1980), The Brockshee (1982), Bobsline (1984), Boreen Prince (1985), Klairon Davis (1995), Ventana Canyon (1996), Moscow Flyer (2002), Forpadydeplasterer (2009), Sizing Europe (2010), Un De Sceaux (2015), Douvan (2016), Footpad (2018), Duc des Genievres (2019), Put The Kettle On (2020), El Fabiolo (2023) and Gaelic Warrior (2024).
DID YOU KNOW?
Until 1980, the Arkle Novices’ Chase was always run on the Wednesday of The Festival. The two-mile novice chasing championship race now takes place on the opening day, Tuesday.
The Arkle Novices’ Chase has always been a fiercely contested event, and the following winners have gone on to other championship victories at The Festival:
2020 Put The Kettle On (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2021)
2017 Altior (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2018 and 2019)
2012 Sprinter Sacre (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2013)
2010 Sizing Europe (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2011)
2006 Voy Por Ustedes (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2007)
2003 Azertyuiop (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2004)
2002 Moscow Flyer (Queen Mother Champion Chase winner 2003 and 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 (Cheltenham Gold Cup winner 1979).
Alverton (1978) is the only horse to have won both the Singer Capital Markets Arkle Novices’ Chase and Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
ENDS
