CHELTENHAM 2026

HENDERSON AND MULLINS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD IN ARKLE ON DAY ONE

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Two of Henry de Bromhead's horses after a run on the gallops at Cheltenham ahead of day one of the Festival

KOPEK Des Bordes and Lulamba engage in a fascinating clash for the Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy as the Cheltenham Festival gets underway today.

Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson have saddled eight of the last 10 winners between them and it will be a major shock if the Grade One prize does not once again go to either Closutton or Seven Barrows.

The Willie Mullins-trained Kopek Des Bordes struck Festival gold in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle 12 months ago and while he has raced just once over fences, reports of a couple of scintillating racecourse schooling sessions in recent weeks mean confidence is high ahead of his return to the Cotswolds.