The Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase produced a compelling contest on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival as Kargese delivered a determined performance to hand trainer Willie Mullins his first success of the week and a remarkable 114th Festival victory overall.
Run over two miles, the Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase saw the Mullins-trained mare prevail by two and a quarter lengths over her stable companion Kopek Des Bordes, with Danny Mullins guiding the seven-year-old to a well-judged victory. The 7-1 winner showed her customary resilience, drawing clear late on to confirm her standing among the leading novice chasers.
It marked a second Cheltenham Festival triumph for Kargese, who had already etched her name into the meeting’s history with victory in the County Hurdle twelve months earlier.
Willie Mullins admitted he had experienced a brief moment of concern earlier in the afternoon before Kargese restored momentum to the Closutton stable.
“I was a bit worried when all those horses were eclipsed in the first,” the champion trainer said. “I said, ‘Are we going to have a week like this?’ But Kargese was very good. I thought Danny gave her a tremendous ride.”
Mullins praised both riders after his pair dominated the finish of the Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase.
“He used all the attributes she has, and when he wanted a jump at the last he got it,” he added. “Paul gave Kopek Des Bordes a tremendous ride for a horse having only his second run over fences in a race like the Arkle. Just that little genuflection after the last—if it wasn’t for that, who knows which way the race would have gone?”
Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase result
Danny Mullins rode a patient race aboard Kargese, resisting the temptation to force the pace early before allowing the mare’s fluent jumping to bring her gradually into contention. Even after briefly being headed approaching the second-last, the rider remained confident there was more to come.
“A lot was made of this filly being hot-headed, but I’ve always had a good relationship with her,” Danny Mullins explained. “Everyone maybe expected us to burn off in front, but I was just trying to use my jumping as my strongest asset. Even when I got headed over the second last, I knew I wasn’t done yet. The last furlong was where she did her best work.”
Kenny Alexander, the successful owner, hailed both the mare and the team behind her following the victory.
“That was a tremendous performance,” he said. “She got the job done and the horses behind her are very special too. She’s beaten them fair and square. It’s an amazing training performance by Willie and a great ride by Danny.”
Runner-up Kopek Des Bordes also emerged with considerable credit after just his second start over fences. Rider Paul Townend felt the novice had run a huge race and suggested there is still significant improvement to come.
“He was running a huge race for just his second start over fences,” Townend said. “We’d got to Kargese and I thought we were going to go away and beat her, but it didn’t surprise me she was still there at the last. She’s a very good mare and tough as nails.”
Lulamba finished third for trainer Nicky Henderson, who hinted that a step up in distance could be on the agenda later in the spring.
“I don’t think you’ll see us over two miles again,” Henderson said. “He might go to Aintree over two and a half miles now. He’ll enjoy that.”
For Mullins and his powerful team, the Singer Arkle Novices’ Chase success not only delivered another Cheltenham Festival milestone but also underlined Kargese’s growing reputation as a top-class performer over fences. With her blend of pace, jumping and determination, the mare now looks set for an exciting future at the highest level.
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