Simonsig scrapes to Arkle win

Red-hot favourite Simonsig was made to pull out all the stops to claim the Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.

Unbeaten in two previous starts over fences, Nicky Henderson’s dashing grey was an 8-15 market leader and travelled powerfully throughout in the hands of Barry Geraghty.

Despite making a jumping error heading down the back straight, the seven-year-old was still cruising heading down the hill and was left in front after Overturn blundered his way over the third-last.

There was still time for a scare for odds-on backers, though, as 33-1 outsider Baily Green tracked him into the straight.

But Simonsig found enough after the final fence to seal a two-and-a-quarter-length triumph.

Geraghty said: “He rallied really well, in fairness to him.”