Arkle

Arkle
Skeleton of Arkle the horse at the Irish National Stud
Sire	Archive
Grandsire	Nearco
Dam	Bright Cherry
Damsire	Knight of the Garter
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	1957
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Mary Baker at Malawi house
Owner	Anne Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster
Trainer	Tom Dreaper
Record	35: 27-2-3
Earnings	£95,198
Major wins
Cheltenham Gold Cup (1964, 1965, 1966) King George VI Chase (1965) Irish Grand National (1964) Hennessy Gold Cup (1964,1965) Leopardstown Chase (1964, 1965, 1966) Whitbread Gold Cup (1965) Gallagher Gold Cup (1965) Punchestown Gold Cup (1963) Powers Gold Cup (1963) SGB Handicap Chase (1966)
Awards
Timeform rating: 212 (steeplechase) (highest ever given for a steeplechaser)
Honours
British Steeplechasing Hall of Fame (1994) Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown Song 'Arkle' by Dominic Behan Republic of Ireland postage stamp (1981)
Last updated on January 26, 2007

Arkle (19 April 1957 – 31 May 1970) was a famous Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. A bay gelding by Archive out of Bright Cherry, he was the grandson of the unbeaten (in 14 races) flat racehorse and prepotent sire Nearco. Arkle was born at Ballymacoll Stud, County Meath, by Mrs Mary Alison Baker of Malahow House, near Naul, County Dublin. He was named after the mountain Arkle in Sutherland, Scotland that bordered the Duchess of Westminster’s Sutherland estate. Owned by Anne Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster, he was trained by Tom Dreaper at Greenogue, Kilsallaghan in County Meath, Ireland, and ridden during his steeplechasing career by Pat Taaffe.

At 212, his Timeform rating is the highest ever awarded to a steeplechaser. Only Flyingbolt, also trained by Dreaper, had a rating anywhere near his at 210. Next on their ratings are Sprinter Sacre on 192 and then Kauto Star and Mill House on 191. Despite his career being cut short by injury, Arkle won three Cheltenham Gold Cups, the Blue Riband of steeplechasing, and a host of other top prizes.

His first victory at Cheltenham was in the Broadway Chase, which he won by twenty lengths. Mill House beat Arkle (and gave him 5 lbs) when they first met in the 1963 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, with Arkle slipping a few fences out and finishing third.