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BGC Cross Country Chase
Race Conditions
The BGC Chase (4:40pm) was the first of the new races to be added to the programme to create the new four day Festival. It is run over three miles and seven furlongs of the ever popular Cross Country Course. It is open to horses aged five years old and upwards and has a total prize fund of £45,000.
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Recent Winners
The inaugural Cross Country Chase was won by one of the most popular equine stars of the sport - cross country specialist Spot Thedifference, who was retired at the age of 14 after a glittering career. The JP McManus-owned gelding won seven times at Cheltenham in cross-country races, and also won Punchestown's La Touche Cup twice, the first of them in 2003.
| Year | Horse | Age | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Garde Champetre | 9 | E Bolger | 4/1 |
| 2007 | Heads Onthe Ground | 10 | E Bolger | 5/2F |
| 2006 | Native Jack | 12 | P Rothwell | 7/2JF |
| 2005 | Spot Thedifference | 12 | E Bolger | 4/1 |
Course
The cross country course takes racing at Cheltenham back to its roots with a selection of natural and man made obstacles incorporating banks, ditches, hedges, water and timber rails.
Designed by Mike Etherington-Smith, who was responsible for the 3-Day Event cross country course at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, the configuration of the course deliberately weaves around the centre of Prestbury Park, with turns to the left and right leading competitors on a variety of routes and directions.
One of the main differences between the Cross Country Course and the steeplechase courses at Cheltenham is the materials used to build the fences. Chase fences are constructed from 'dead' materials whereas the fences on the Cross Country Course are living, growing trees, shrubs and bushes, which are regularly trimmed for racing.
Key Trends
Irish trained horses have won all four renewals - three were trained by Edna Bolger.
All 4 winners were highly fancied and in the first two in the betting.
Watch the 2008 Cross Country Chase:
2007 Review
Incredibly, another victory in this race for Enda Bolger and JP McManus but not, this time, with Spot Thedifference, who relinquished his cross country crown to his younger stablemate HEADS ONTHE GROUND.
The winner was well backed before the off, and he and the runner up Silver Birch pulled well clear of the others on the run in to suggest this was a decent renewal of this unique race - the faster than usual early pace certainly ensured it was a greater test of stamina than is sometimes the case. Heads Onthe Ground idled on the run, otherwise the victory margin would have been greater, and he was given an excellent ride by Nina Carberry, who hugged the inside throughout and always had the leaders in her sights.
Those leaders included Silver Birch, who did well to get so close to the winner, given that he was in the firing line throughout. He was also hampered on the final bend, where he lost more ground than he was eventually beaten by. He may, therefore, have been an unlucky loser although Heads Onthe Ground looked like he’d pull out more if he’d been challenged on the run in.
Silver Birch was formerly a well backed ante post favourite for the 2005 Grand National, but he missed the race through injury and lost his form badly afterwards. He was then sold to race in Ireland and current connections have clearly got him back to his best. He could, therefore, still be well handicapped.
Le Duc was also up with the leaders throughout and had every chance until fading after the last. Ironically, the strong pace he helped to set ended up being his downfall as he just seemed to be outstayed by the first two. He may have done better on slightly quicker ground and is likely to try again next year.
Most race goers in the huge Festival crowd were hoping for a fairytale seventh win over these fences for Spot Thedifference. As is his custom, he was held up well off the pace, but he ruined his chance with a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes and could never quite reach the leaders. He stayed on well to the line, and this was by no means a bad effort as he was giving 24lbs to the winner and was racing off a mark 6lbs higher than his last win here. Despite his age, he is anything but a spent force in this type of race.
Omni Cosmo Touch also ran well on his first start over these obstacles, given the ground would have been plenty soft enough for him. It may just be that this sort of test suits this quirky customer and he could be interesting if brought back here at next year’s Festival.
The rest were well strung out, with last year’s winner Native Jack and Ivoire De Beaulieu both particularly disappointing.
Heads Onthe Ground, ridden by Nina Carberry, heads for home in the 2007 Sporting Index Chase
2006 Review
As anticipated, horses with previous form over the unique demands of a cross country style course dominated the finish of this race.
NATIVE JACK came into the event in the form of his life, despite his rising years. He seems to have been rejuvenated by the challenge that these obstacles present, having won a similar contest at Punchestown on his previous start. His victory here gave both trainer Phillip Rothwell and jockey Davy Russell their first Festival successes.
The most popular winner would definitely have been the veteran, Spot Thedifference who was looking for his fifth course success. However, he hadn’t come into this race in particularly good form and so second place was another fine effort, especially considering that the slow early pace was probably against him.
Edna Bolger and JP McManus love to have a tilt at these races and as well as Spot Thedifference in second place they had Buailtes And Fadas in third and Good Step in sixth. The former was given a very patient ride and could never quite peg the leaders back, whereas the latter ruined his chance with a bad blunder three out.
Koliquelicot finished between them in fifth and was best of the home contingent. He seemed to enjoy himself out in front and remained in contention until his stamina gave way approaching the last.
Surprisingly, there were only two casualties with both I Hear Thunder and What Odds unseating their riders. Thankfully both horses continued unharmed.
Native Jack, ridden by DN Russell, wins the 2006 Cross Country Handicap Chase