Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is a National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Cross-Country Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 6 furlongs (3 miles 6 furlongs and 37 yards, or 6,069 metres), and during its running there are thirty-two obstacles to be cleared. It was originally run as a handicap race before being changed to a conditions race from the 2016 running,[1] and it is scheduled to take place each year on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase
Ungraded race
LocationCheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham, England
Inaugurated2005
Race typesteeplechase
SponsorGlenfarclas
WebsiteCheltenham
Race information
Distance3m 6f 37y (6,069 metres)
SurfaceTurf
QualificationFive-years-old and up
Purse£75,000 (2023)
1st: £39,023
Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase
2023
Maroon, white star, armlets and star on cap Dark blue and white diamonds, white sleeves, red cap Dark blue, yellow hoop, white sleeves, dark blue cap, yellow star
Delta Work Galvin Franco De Port
Previous years
2022
MAROON, WHITE star and armlets, ROYAL BLUE cap Maroon, white star, armlets and star on cap Royal blue, dark green sleeves, dark green cap, royal blue star
Delta Work Tiger Roll Plan Of Attack
2021
Maroon, white star, armlets and star on cap Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap White, black hollow box, red armlets, red cap, black spots
Tiger Roll Easysland Some Neck
2020-2011
2020
Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap Maroon, white star, armlets and star on cap Maroon and white (quartered), checked sleeves and cap
Easysland Tiger Roll Out Sam
2019
Maroon, white star, armlets and star on cap Emerald Green, Yellow hoops, Emerald Green cap, White star Black, light green braces, emerald green cap
Tiger Roll Josies Orders Urgent De Gregaine
2018
Maroon, white star and armlet, maroon cap, white star Black, light green braces, emerald green cap Dark blue and yellow (quartered), striped sleeves
Tiger Roll Urgent De Gregaine The Last Samuri
2017
Emerald green, yellow hoops, red cap Mauve, white hoops, halved sleeves, mauve cap Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap
Cause of Causes Bless The Wings Cantlow
2016
Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap Mauve, white hoops, halved sleeves, mauve cap Emerald green, yellow hoops, quartered cap
Josies Orders Bless The Wings Quantitativeeasing
2015
Maroon, white star, armlets and star on cap Pink and mauve (quartered), mauve sleeves, white cap Purple, yellow chevron and cap
Rivage D'Or Any Currency Uncle Junior
2014
Red, royal blue stars, hooped sleeves and star on cap Pink and mauve (quartered), mauve sleeves, white cap Red and white (halved), emerald green sleeves, white cap
Balthazar King Any Currency Big Shu
2013
Red and white (halved), emerald green sleeves, white cap Purple, orange seams, purple cap, orange star Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap
Big Shu Shakervilz Outlaw Pete
2012
Red, royal blue stars, hooped sleeves and star on cap Black, royal blue chevron and sleeves Chocolate, royal blue sleeves, white cap
Balthazar King A New Story Wedger Pardy
2011
Emerald green, yellow chevron and sleeves, red cap Emerald green, yellow hoops, emerald green and yellow quartered cap Black, royal blue chevrons and sleeves, black cap
Sizing Australia Garde Champetre A New Story
2010-2005
2010
Black, royal blue chevrons and sleeves, black cap Emerald green, yellow hoops, white cap Light blue and royal blue diabolo, light blue sleeves and cap
A New Story L'Ami Lacdoudal
2009
Emerald green, orange hoops, emerald green and yellow quartered cap Emerald green, orange hoops, white cap Emerald Green, Orange Hoops, Emerald Green cap, White star
Garde Champetre L'Ami Drombeag
2008
EMERALD GREEN and ORANGE HOOPED, green and yellow quartered cap Emerald Green, Royal Blue chevrons on sleeves, Emerald Green cap, Royal Blue star Black, Royal Blue chevrons and sleeves, Black cap
Garde Champetre Native Jack A New Story
2007
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Black, light blue star, light blue sleeves, black stars, light blue cap Black and white (halved), red sleeves and cap
Heads Onthe Ground Silver Birch Le Duc
2006
BLACK and WHITE DIABOLO, white sleeves, quartered cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Emerald green and yellow hoops, quarteredcap
Native Jack Spot Thedifference Buailtes And Fadas
2005
Emerald green and yellow hoops, white cap Emerald green and orange (quartered), orange sleeves and cap Light Blue, Royal Blue sash, sleeves and cap
Spot Thedifference Luzcadou Mrs Be
 

The event was established when a fourth day was added to the Cheltenham Festival in 2005. It is now one of three cross-country chases held at Cheltenham – the others take place in November and December. All three were originally sponsored by Sporting Index, and in the 2007–08 season they were backed by BGC. The whisky distillery Glenfarclas began supporting the series in 2008–09.

Records

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Most successful horse (3 wins):

Leading jockey (4 wins):

  • Nina Carberry – Heads Onthe Ground (2007), Garde Champetre (2008, 2009), Josies Orders (2016)
  • Keith Donoghue - Tiger Roll (2018, 2019, 2021), Delta Work (2023)

Leading trainer (5 wins):

  • Enda Bolger – Spot Thedifference (2005), Heads Onthe Ground (2007), Garde Champetre (2008, 2009), Josies Orders (2016)
  • Gordon Elliott- Cause of Causes (2017), Tiger Roll (2018, 2019), Delta Work (2022, 2023)

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Weight
Jockey
Trainer
2005 Spot Thedifference 12 11–12 JT McNamara[a] Enda Bolger
2006 Native Jack 12 10-08 Davy Russell Philip Rothwell
2007 Heads Onthe Ground 10 10-02 Nina Carberry[a] Enda Bolger
2008 Garde Champetre 9 10–13 Nina Carberry[a] Enda Bolger
2009 Garde Champetre 10 11–12 Nina Carberry[a] Enda Bolger
2010 A New Story 12 09-07 Adrian Heskin Michael Hourigan
2011 Sizing Australia 9 10-09 Andrew Lynch Henry De Bromhead
2012 Balthazar King 8 10-09 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
2013 Big Shu 8 10-05 Barry Cash Peter Maher
2014 Balthazar King 10 11–12 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
2015 Rivage d'Or 10 10-10 Davy Russell Tony Martin
2016 Josies Orders [b] 8 11-04 Nina Carberry[a] Enda Bolger
2017 Cause of Causes 9 11-04 Jamie Codd[a] Gordon Elliott
2018 Tiger Roll 8 11-04 Keith Donoghue Gordon Elliott
2019 Tiger Roll 9 11-04 Keith Donoghue Gordon Elliott
2020 Easysland 6 11-04 Jonathan Plouganou David Cottin
2021 Tiger Roll 11 11-04 Keith Donoghue Denise Foster
2022 Delta Work 9 11-04 Jack Kennedy Gordon Elliott
2023 Delta Work 10 11-07 Keith Donoghue Gordon Elliott
2022 no race 2024 [c][2]
  1. ^ a b c d e f amateur jockey
  2. ^ Any Currency finished first in 2016 but was disqualified after a banned substance was detected in a post-race urine test
  3. ^ The 2024 race was abandoned because of a waterlogged track

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Changes announced to the new season at Cheltenham". Weatherbys. Retrieved 21 October 2015. [permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Cheltenham Festival 2024: Cross Country Chase abandoned". Racing Post. 13 March 2024. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.

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