Introduced in the 2001/02 season, the race was the first Cross Country Steeple Chase at Cheltenham to be run as a handicap.
Two trainers – Ferdy Murphy and particularly Enda Bolger – have dominated the event. Ferdy Murphy sent out the first two winners – Paddy’s Return in 2001 and The Quads in 2002. Paddy’s Return, previously successful in the 1996 Triumph Hurdle at The Festival, saw off 11 rivals to record a length and a half victory over Galapiat Du Mesnil with two Czech challengers, Sankt Moritz and Decent Fellow, finishing third and fourth, while The Quads was a comfortable 10-length winner from the Bolger-trained Eoins Pride in 2002.
The incredibly tough Spot Thedifference is the best horse to have raced over Cheltenham’s Cross Country Steeplechase course with a remarkable seven victories. Spot Thedifference landed his first Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Steeple Chase in 2004, proving four lengths too strong for French Executive.
In the 2005 renewal, Spot Thedifference turned in a rare bad performance over the unique obstacles, only managing 11th place behind another Murphy-trained winner, Ivoire De Beaulieu. However, Ivoire De Beaulieu was a fine Cross Country performer himself, as evidenced by his fourth in the 2007 Velka Pardubicka in the Czech Republic.
Business as normal was resumed in 2006, when Spot Thedifference defied top-weight for a second victory in the race, coming home a length in front of French challenger Plum’Tee at the age of 13. The subsequent 2007 John Smith’s Grand National winner, Silver Birch, finished eighth.
The 2007 contest saw Tony Martin become only the third trainer to land the race when Wonderkid prevailed by eight lengths from the Bolger-trained Heads Onthe Ground, with Ivoire De Beaulieu in fourth.
Bolger was back in the winner’s enclosure in 2008 with Garde Champetre, who saw off his stable companion L’Ami by a length and a quarter, and the cross country specialist returned in 2009 to beat Sizing Australia by three quarters of a length.
Just like his stable companion Spot Thedifference, Garde Champetre thrived over the unique demands of Cheltenham’s cross country course and won the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase at The Festival in both 2008 and 2009, as well as the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at The Open in 2009.
He was beaten a neck into second in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at The Open in 2010 but regained his crown in the December Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase that same year – and repeated the feat a year later too.
In 2012 amateur jockey Josh Halley became the first trainer/rider and also only the fourth trainer to win the race, with Outlaw Pete. At this point the trainer table became much more varied. Paul Nicholls stepped into the winner’s enclosure in 2013 with Sire Collonges and Martin Keighley took the honours in 2014 with Any Currency.
But Enda Bolger was back on the winner’s board in 2015 as Josies Orders saw off a comeback victory from Sire Collonges, and Bolger was celebrating victory again with Cantlow in 2016.
Gordon Elliot-trained Bless The Wings beat Cantlow into second place in 2017, and Josies Orders came third (the latter two again Bolger trained).
Trainer Jamie Snowdon received the top prize in 2018 with Fact Of The Matter with Bolger again having to settle for second and third place (another 3rd for Josies Orders).
Easyland ran to victory trained by D Cottin in 2019 and John McConnell trained 2020 winner Some Neck.
Together with Enda Bolger and Garde Champetre, Nina Carberry has stamped her mark on this race, winning in 2008, 2010 and 2015 – more times than any other jockey.
Allison is the Publisher of Eclipse Magazine. She loves going to the Races and is learning to bet (despite being officially the worst bettor in the History of the Universe), there’s a lot more to learn…
