Cross Country Chase 2022 Racecard

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase in a National Hunt Chase which takes place every year at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Open to horses who are aged five years and older, the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is run over a distance of about of three miles and six furlongs (3 miles 6 furlongs and 37 yards), and there are a total of 32 obstacles to be cleared.

4:10 Wed 16 Mar CROSS COUNTRY CHASE Distance: 30f 37y Age: 5yo + Prize: £75,000 Going: Soft Analyst's Verdict This is reportedly TIGER ROLL's last race and how fitting it would be if he could end his remarkable career with a fourth success in this and a sixth Festival win all told. He hasn't shown that much this term but it was a similar story before he bolted up last year and he's taken to see off classy stablemate Delta Work, who makes his cross-country debut. Shady Operator may prove best of the rest.

ENTRY FORM	SILKS	HORSE JOCKEY & TRAINER	AGE WGT		ODDS
1		1. ALPHA DES OBEAUX (FR) J: Jody McGarvey T: Gordon Elliott, Ireland	12 11-4		BET
Good back in the day but seems to have lost his form, finishing down the field in the Punchestown cross-country won by Midnight Maestro last month. Major revival needed.
2		2. BACK ON THE LASH J: Sean Bowen T: Martin Keighley	8 11-4		BET
Relished the step up in trip when making a winning start to cross-country career over C&D in November. Only a respectable fifth to Diesel d'Allier here since and has a bit to find on these terms.
3		3. BRAHMA BULL (IRE) J: B. Hayes T: W. P. Mullins, Ireland	11 11-4		BET
Pulled up in the Thyestes last time (reportedly broke blood vessel) but he's a smart and consistent chaser in the main. Can make the odd mistake but definitely talented enough to have a big say.
4		4. DELTA WORK (FR) J: J. W. Kennedy T: Gordon Elliott, Ireland	9 11-4		BET
Five-time Grade 1 winner over regulation fences. Stablemate of Tiger Roll, he has shown he still retains a smart level of ability this term and potential class act if taking to this new discipline.
5		5. DIESEL D'ALLIER (FR) J: Harry Bannister T: Richard Bandey	9 11-4		BET
Better than ever for new yard when edging out Potters Corner in C&D handicap in December. However, he was only remote fourth to Easysland in 2020 and suspicion he'll find a few too strong off levels.
6		6. EASYSLAND (FR) J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr. T: Jonjo O'Neill	8 11-4		BET
Beat Tiger Roll in this in 2020 but not in same form when second to him 12 months ago. Showed very little in 2 handicap hurdles for new yard last month. This more his thing but hard to be confident.
7		7. MIDNIGHT MAESTRO J: L. P. Dempsey T: Enda Bolger, Ireland	10 11-4		BET
Ran disappointingly over this C&D but he bounced back when winning a cross-country event at Punchestown last month by a neck from stablemate Shady Operator. Yard always feared in these events.
8		8. MITCHOUKA (FR) J: Keith Donoghue T: J. T. R. Dreaper, Ireland	8 11-4		BET
Useful chaser at his best for Gearoid O'Loughlin but ran poorly in 2 starts in the summer and well behind a few of these in Punchestown cross-country event on his yard debut 31 days ago.
9		9. PLAN OF ATTACK (IRE) J: D. J. O'Keeffe T: Henry de Bromhead, Ireland	9 11-4		BET
Useful chaser who recorded 2 good in-frame efforts in C&D handicaps before Christmas. Likely to give his running again but playing for place money if some of these are at the top of their game.
10		10. POKER PARTY (FR) J: Rachael Blackmore T: Henry de Bromhead, Ireland	10 11-4		BET
Won a Kerry National in autumn 2019 but no show in a handicap hurdle/chase since returning from a long absence. This new discipline needs to spark something in him.
11		11. POTTERS CORNER (IRE) J: Jack Tudor T: Christian Williams	12 11-4		BET
Won the Midlands and Welsh Nationals in 2019. Not so productive since and has failed to build on his C&D second to Diesel d'Allier in 2 subsequent runs.
12		12. PRENGARDE (FR) J: M. P. Walsh T: Enda Bolger, Ireland	6 11-4		BET
Multiple cross-country winner in France. Well held in Naas handicap hurdle on last month's yard debut but likely to prove a different proposition now. Very interesting runner.
13		13. SHADY OPERATOR (IRE) J: Mr D. O'Connor T: Enda Bolger, Ireland	9 11-4		BET
Won his first 2 cross-country events at Punchestown and failed only narrowly to make it 3 in a row there last month, going down by a neck to Midnight Maestro. Should go well.
14		14. STEP BACK (IRE) J: Nico de Boinville T: Mark Bradstock	12 11-4		BET
Useful chaser at his best who was a respectable third in Edinburgh National at Musselburgh last month. Faded into sixth on sole previous atrtempt over these fences. Likely to find a few too strong.
15		15. TIGER ROLL (IRE) J: Davy Russell T: Gordon Elliott, Ireland	12 11-4		BET
Dual Grand National winner who has an outstanding record over these fences as well. Denied a hat-trick in this race by Easysland in 2020 but regained his crown at the expense of same rival last year.
16		16. TOUT EST PERMIS (FR) J: Sean Flanagan T: Noel Meade, Ireland	9 11-4		BET
Smart chaser at his best but he was nowhere near that level when third to Midnight Maestro and Shady Operator in a Punchestown cross-country last month. Owner has stronger claims elsewhere.
Betting Forecast : 3/1 3 TIGER ROLL, 11/2 5.5 DELTA WORK, 9/1 9 BRAHMA BULL, 10/1 10 EASYSLAND, 10/1 10 PRENGARDE, 12/1 12 SHADY OPERATOR, 14/1 14 MIDNIGHT MAESTRO, 18/1 18 DIESEL D'allier, 25/1 25 BACK ON THE LASH, 28/1 28 PLAN OF ATTACK, 33/1 33 POTTERS CORNER, 40/1 40 TOUT EST PERMIS, 66/1 66 MITCHOUKA, 80/1 80 ALPHA DES OBEAUX, 80/1 80 POKER PARTY, 80/1 80 STEP BACK

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is a unique test, and takes place on a separate course which is situated on the inside of the two conventional courses at Cheltenham.

The race was initially run as a handicap chase, before the organisers changed it to a conditions event from the 2016 running.

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is scheduled to take place on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival each year.

The race was established when a fourth day was added to the Cheltenham Festival in 2005, and it is now one of three cross-country events to be held at Cheltenham each season – the others take place in November and December.

The most successful horses to have raced in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase are Garde Champetre and Balthazar King , both of whom won the race two times.

Garde Champetre was one of the best performers in the cross-country sphere for a number of years, recording no less than six victories on the Cheltenham cross-country track.

Balthazar King was a rare English-trained runner to take so well to this discipline, but he put up one of the best performances in this race on Timeform ratings when recording his second win in the race in 2014, beating the trusty Any Currency by a short head.

Irish trainer Gordon Elliott has seemingly targeted this race in more recent years and has managed to win the last three renewals, the last twice with his Grand National hero Tiger Roll , who provided Gigginstown Stud with their second win in the race following Rivage d’Or’s 2015 success when taking the 2018 renewal, and then their third when winning a year later.

The most successful Glenfarclas Cross Country trainer is Enda Bolger, who has won the race five times, with: Spot Thedifference (2005), Heads Onthe Ground (2007), Garde Champetre (2008, 2009) and Josies Orders (2016).

The most successful Glenfarclas Cross Country jockey is Nina Carberry, who has won the race four times, with: Heads Onthe Ground (2007), Garde Champetre (2008, 2009) and Josies Orders (2016).

Cross Country Chase 2022 FAQs

What is the distance of the Cross Country Chase?

3 miles 6 furlongs and 37 yards

How many obstacles are jumped in the Cross Country Chase?

32

What day of the festival is the Cross Country Chase?

Day 2

What time is the Cross Country Chase?

16:10

What weights are carried for the Cross Country Chase?

11st 4lbs. 7lb allowance for mares.

What is the purse for the Cross Country Chase?

£65,000 (2019)

Who is the leading jockey in the Cross Country Chase?

Nina Carberry

Who is the leading trainer in the Cross Country Chase?

Enda Bolger

Who won the Cross Country Chase?

You can check out our Cross Country Chase results page here to see a list of previous winners.

Where can I compare the odds for the Cross Country Chase?

Click the link to visit our Cross Country Chase Odds Comparison page.