Cross Country Chase Predictions, Betting Tips, Odds & Trends (Cheltenham 2023 - DAY 2)
- Written by Simon Bettarini
The Cross Country Chase is the first major cross country chase of the Cheltenham Festival. The race challenges entries to cover a distance of 3 miles 7 furlongs and it is run over a special man made course which involves ditches, banks, rails and even a Grand National type fence. Delta Work beat the legendary Tiger Roll in this race in 2022 at odds of 5/2, for trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Jack Kennedy. This article contains our 2023 Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase race preview, with free predictions, free bets, no deposit bonuses, odds, recent trends and special promotions.
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CROSS COUNTRY CHASE BETTING PREVIEW
The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase is really popular race amongst punters since being introduced to the Cheltenham Festival in 2005. It is a great spectacle, very different to the other races at the festival. The contest is a Cross Country chase covering three miles and seven furlongs, for horses aged five years and upwards, with a prize purse of £65,000. The race is a stamina test for the horses and also a mental test, with many different types of fences to jump.
This is also a test for jockeys, who have to be aware and know the route they have to take.
And now we take a closer look at this year's Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase and try to determine which horse is likely to prevail.
Who will win the Cross Country Chase 2023?
Sent off as 5/2F for last year's edition, DELTA WORK just edged out legendary stablemate Tiger Roll in a thrilling finish. He ran a solid prep race at Cheltenham in January when finishing third behind Back On The Lash and Deise Aba, conceding a lot of weight that day. Since this is not a handicap, the reigning champion is a deserved favorite to win back to back renewals despite a poor performance last time out when finishing sixth of eight over a 2m 5f trip at Navan.
Gordon Elliott's GALVIN, a Delta Work's stablemate, finished fourth in last year’s Gold Cup. This season he finished runner up to Envoi Allen back in November and 6th of seven horse in a 3m race at Leopardstown, a whopping 29 lengths behind the winner Conflated. He will be a serious contender here, especially if the ground remains on the quick side.
Elliott has also entered HARDLINE and MORTAL in a bid to make it a sixth (even if it was technically Denise Foster who was victorious with Tiger Roll in 2021) success in 7 years.GIN ON LIME is an useful a seven-year-old mare. Hence, she’ll get the allowance. There are slight stamina concerns but the ground should suit and she’s being aimed at the Grand National.
FRANCO DE PORT is winless in his last 15 outings. He was only beaten seven lengths behind Conflated in the Savills Chase - finishing some way ahead of Galvin - and didn't run badly when fifth behind Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup despite not jumping well and being hampered by a faller at 2 out.
BACK ON THE LASH enters this race on the back of an impressive victory over the same cross-country trip at Cheltenham Festival Trials Day - after a 56 day lay-off - beating a field of 15 horses in January.
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Dark horses?
DEISE ABA finished second in that Cross Country Handicap here on Trials Day while SNOW LEOPARDESS was sixth on her first outing around the Cross Country course, before losing out narrowly in the Grand National Trial up at Haydock. She learned a lot from her last couple of runs and could go well.
2020 winner EASYSLAND could be the dark horse of the race should he rediscover form as well as PLAN OF ATTACK, who finished third in this race 12 months ago but was only 7th in the Cross Country Handicap on Trials Day in January.
FOXY JACKS and DIESEL D'ALLIER are the other two possible dark horse that deserve a mention.
At the moment, the most backed horses are the following:
All the bookmakers we recommend are offering No Runner No Bet on every Cheltenham Festival race.
CROSS COUNTRY CHASE TRENDS
- Just 5 of the last 18 winners were favourites
- 9 of the last 11 winners were sent off 7/1 or shorter, 6 of the last 7 had an SP no bigger than 9/2.
- 15 of 18 Cross Country Chase winners were trained in Ireland, including seven of the last eight.
- 9 of the last 11 winners had run in at least one Cheltenham cross country race before
- 12 of the last 13 winners have been aged 8 or older
- The last 5 winners had a rating of 150 or higher
CROSS COUNTRY CHASE PREDICTIONS
The following section contains our free betting tips on the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase 2023. Feel free to copy our Cheltenham Festival pick and get the best available odds on the most recommended bookmakers by clicking the 'Bet' button!
2023 Cross Country Chase Free Bets
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2023 CHELTENHAM DAY 2 TIPS AND PREDICTIONS
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2023 Cross Country Chase FAQs
What time is the Cross Country Chase?
The Cross Country Chase is the 5th race run on Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival. That falls on Wednesday March 15, 2023 and the official starting time is 4:10pm.
How many obstacles are jumped in the Cross Country Chase?
There are 32 obstacles to jump for the Cross Country Chase runners
What is the distance of the Cross Country Chase?
The Cross Country Chase is run on a distance of 3 miles 6 furlongs and 37 yards
What is the prize money for the Cross Country Chase?
The total prize money on offer for the Cross Country Chase at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival will be £65,000.
Who won the Cross Country Chase last year?
Last year's renewal was won by Delta Work at SP of 5/2F, trained by Gordon Elliott and ridden by Jack Kennedy.
What weights are carried for the Cross Country Chase?
11st 4lbs with a 7lb allowance for mares.
Who is the leading jockey in the Cross Country Chase?
The most successful jockey in the history of the Cross Country Chase is Nina Carberry, who has ridden four winners in the race. Keith Donoghue has won three of the last five renewals of this race on Tiger Roll. Davy Russell has won the race twice overall, and placed three times also from 11 rides.
Who is the leading trainer in the Cross Country Chase?
The most successful trainer in the history of the Cross Country Chase is Enda Bolger, with five winners. Gordon Elliott has four wins (courtesy of Tiger Roll, Cause of Causes and Delta Work) and five placings from 15 runners.
