Kopek Des Bordes to return for Irish Arkle after suffering setback

December 11, 2025

Kopek Des Bordes will return to action at the Dublin Racing Festival after being ruled out of an appearance at Christmas with injury.

The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner was initially due to run in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on St. Stephen’s Day.

On Wednesday it was revealed the five-year-old had suffered a minor setback, undergoing a small procedure to remove a floating chip in his knee.

He remains the joint-favourite to win the Arkle at next March’s Cheltenham Festival alongside Nicky Henderson’s Lulamba.

Kopek Des Bordes set the division alight with an electric chase debut at Navan last month, powering home by 13 lengths and leaving a remarkable impression.

Owner Charlie McCarthy explained: “Willie said he just had to get a loose chip in his knee removed, so he’s short a week in his preparation for Christmas as a result.

“It’s only minor but it wouldn’t be right to run him at Christmas, so he [Mullins] decided it’s better to wait for the Dublin Racing Festival. It’s just a minor setback. If it was another week or ten days he’d be ready to run as he’s in great form.”

McCarthy added he will “definitely run at the Dublin Racing Festival and he could have one more run before then.”

WATCH: Kopek Des Bordes wins on chase debut at Navan

The world at his feet 🌏

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Kopek Des Bordes dazzles on his eagerly-anticipated chase debut @NavanRacecourse.

He’s 7/4 fav for the Akle on the back of this.@WillieMullinsNH | @PTownend pic.twitter.com/sLa2KViUuY

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 17, 2025

Romeo Coolio could make the Irish Arkle a race for the ages

Ruby Walsh encouraged connections of Romeo Coolio to take the Arkle route after his impressive Drinmore success and it looks as though that’s the plan.

Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old is now a short odds-on favourite in the ante-post market for the December 26 showpiece at Leopardstown and if he wins as expected there he should head back to the Dublin venue for the Irish Arkle.

Both of his first two starts over fences came at 2m 4f but the vibes suggest the Elliott camp are more than happy to come back in trip with the view of targeting the two-mile spectacle on Tuesday at Cheltenham next year.

There was a clear gap between Kopek Des Bordes and Romeo Coolio as novice hurdlers, the latter beaten over seven lengths in the Supreme, but there’s no doubt this point-to-point winner has improved significantly for a fence and maybe more so than his chief rival.