Mullins luminaries in Arkle frame Stablemates Un De Sceaux and Vautour are two of the star names among 45 entries for the Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival on March 10. Unbeaten hurdler Un De Sceaux is the clear favourite for the two-mile Grade One, having put his chasing debut fall at Thurles behind him with a spectacular display at Fairyhouse last month. The seven-year-old will look to enhance his Festival claims in the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Sunday. Vautour, a stunning winner of last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, banished memories of a disappointing run over Christmas with an assured display at Leopardstown last weekend. Trainer Willie Mullins accounts for nine entries, with Un De Sceaux and Vautour also in contention for the JLT Novices' Chase over a longer trip. Gordon Elliott's Clarcam and the Enda Bolger-trained Gilgamboa also feature among a formidable list of 19 Irish-trained entries in the Arkle. Nicky Henderson is jointly the most successful ever handler in the Arkle, with five victories, and his one entry is Josses Hill. Other contenders include Paul Nicholls' Ptit Zig and the Tom George-trained pair om God's Own and Stellar Notion. God's Own won the Haldon Gold Cup on his seasonal debut, but failed to fire in the Tingle Creek and was also well beaten back in novice company at Kempton over Christmas. George said: "We have entered him for the Arkle because he won around Punchestown over two miles, but that is a very stiff two miles. "He is ultimately a three-miler and our inclination is that he will probably be stepping up in trip next time. "We just need to get him back on track again before we start thinking about the Festival, but he has had a few blips before and bounced back."
