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Arkle — the greatest race horse of all time!

Mrs. Mary Baker bred Arkle at Malahow near the Naul in Co. Dublin and he was foaled in the spring of 1957.

Anne, Duchess of Westminster bought the as-yet-unnamed horse on the advice of her trainer for 1150 guineas He was named after a mountain near to the Duchess’s home in Sutherland.

Arkle didn't show a great deal of promise until he was five when he won his first hurdle race at Navan. After several more wins, he paid his first visit to Britain in November 1962 and won the Honeybourne novices chase at Cheltenham by twenty lengths. Arkle went on to win the Broadway chase at the same event.

At the end of his first season he had won all seven of his races — the start of the legend! Of Arkle's thirty-five races he won twenty-seven; he was beaten over the fences only three times.

In December 1966 he won the SGB chase. Two weeks later the Boxing day meet at Kempton was postponed due to frost. It took place the following day. Arkle was beaten into second place in the King George VI chase by Dormant. Unbelievably, an examination revealed that he had broken a pedal bone during the race.

On October 9th 1968 he returned to the Duchesses farm at Bryanstown, his racing career over. However his retirement didn’t stop him putting in celebrity appearances, including the Horse of the Year show in England.

Toward the end of his life, Arkle became increasingly crippled with rheumatism. On May 31st 1970 he was given his final injection. We may never see as great a horse again!