Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is run on the second day at the Cheltenham Festival. The race was first run in 2005 when it was included as a new race when a fourth day was added to the festival’s schedule. This race is synonymous with the great Tiger Roll who has prevailed victorious on three occasions.

Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase Overview

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is run over 3 miles 6 furlongs and 37 yards of the Cross Country course and is eligible for horses aged five years or older. There are thirty-two obstacles to navigate during the race.

The race was originally run as a handicap before being changed to a conditions race from 2016 onwards but was changed back to a handicap in 2025 It is run on the second day of the Festival. The prize money for the winner is likely to be around £39,000.

Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase Betting Trends and Statistics

• Previous experience of this unique course is a major advantage with 14 of the last 20 winners having run in the cross country race at either the November or December meetings.
• Leading owner J P McManus has an outstanding record in this race having won 7 of the last 20 renewals with Gigginstown Stud scoring in 6 of the last 10 runnings including Tiger Roll’s hat trick.
• Easily the best recent trainer is Gordon Elliot who has trained 5 of the last 8 (6 if you include Denise Foster who was training Elliot’s horse at the time) and anything he runs must be given utmost respect along with fellow countryman Enda Bolger who has trained 5 winners of the race.
• This is a race that often goes to Ireland with 17 of the last 20 winners trained there.
• It pays to follow the more mature older horses with the majority being aged 8 years and older (the one exception being six-year-old Easyland in 2020).

Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase History

The race was established in 2005 when a fourth day was added to the Festival and in the eighteen renewals so far fifteen have fallen to Irish-based trainers with the French-trained Easyland taking the 2020 renewal.

It is one of three Cross Country races run at Cheltenham throughout the year, with races currently also taking place in November and December.

Sporting Index was the first sponsor of this unique race with the whisky distillery Glanfarclas taking over in 2008 and is the current sponsor.

Tiger Roll is the standout horse to have won the contest in its history having won the race three times (2018, 2019, 2020) whilst also winning the Grand National in 2018 & 2019. The legendary horse was denied a win on their final outing in the 2022 Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase. Other dual winners are Garde Chapetre (2008, 2009), Balthazar King 2012, 2014) and Delta Work (2022, 2023).

Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase Winners