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Cross Country Chase Odds Selection Odds Stumptown 5/2 Galvin 9/2 Busselton 8/1 Mister Coffey 9/1 Vanillier…
Wednesday 12th March 15:20
The Cross Country Chase takes place at 3:20pm on day two of the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday 12th March 2024. Below you'll find our free betting tips for the Cross Country Chase from out expert horse racing analysts David Young & Will Smith.
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| Bookie | Selection | Best Odds | Market | Bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Vanillier | 9/1 | Ante Post
EW 4 Places NRNB Cross Country Chase |
Place Bet |
|
Busselton | 10/1 | Ante Post
EW 4 Places NRNB Cross Country Chase |
Place Bet |
 |
Stumptown | 11/4 | Win Cross Country Chase |
Place Bet |
Date of Tips: 28/02/2025
Disclaimer The odds for these selections were correct at the time of publishing (13:14 28/02/2025) but may have changed since. Please check the latest price before placing your bet.
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Vanillier @ 9/1
Amid the unveiling of the weights for the Grand National, clearly the focus was going to be on who has and who hasn’t been dealt a kind hand or otherwise by the handicapper.
In truth, it doesn’t really matter a jot, as surely over the course of 4 and a bit miles, with however many large spruce fences to jump, and various other unforeseen situations to navigate, that an extra 2 or 3 lbs here or there is not going to make the slightest bit of difference?
There was one horse however, that I was keen to see what the UK handicapper thought of with regard to a potential bet for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase at 3.20 on the Wednesday of the Cheltenham Festival next month.
Vanillier has been to two Grand Nationals, two Cheltenham Festivals and countless other big races over the course of his career, but if you watch how he took to the blinkers at Punchestown last week over the banks course, (when obliterating a field of decent banks horses,) then you’d easily suggest that he is in career best form currently.
Gavin Cromwell has the ante-post favourite for the Cross Country in the shape of general 5/2 shot Stumptown, who won with cheeky ease over the same course and distance back in December of last year as the Cross Country at the Festival.
Back in the field that day was a certain Vanillier, who for 90% of that race (when clearly unfit, without any form of headgear and unconsidered in the betting) was running with a noticeable zest on the front end. He loved the track and only faded late on. It was a massive pointer to something to come.
To come… was the aforementioned Punchestown romp in blinkers, and the fact that the UK handicapper has only seen fit to raise Vanillier 4lbs for that (following the Grand National weights announcement), means that he must surely join Stumptown on the ferry for Cheltenham with as good a chance as his more fancied stablemate. Blinkers will be in the kit bag for sure.
At 9/1 each-way with Bet365 for 4 places and with the ‘non-runner, no bet’ concession, backing Vanillier now makes a huge amount of appeal to me, as he could be one that the public latch onto in the weeks leading up to the Festival.
Busselton @ 10/1
The unveiling of the weights, measures and ratings for the Cheltenham Festival handicaps always provokes plenty of talking points, but if you are in any doubt as to whether a pound or two here or there matters, then hark back to Presenting Percy winning the Pertemps Final after much gnashing of teeth following the unveiling of his mark.
However, having seen how certain horses have fared in terms of how the UK handicapper views them, I am extremely buoyed (and relieved) that Vanillier, the 9/1 ante-post each-way pick for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at 3.20 on the Wednesday, has been left on the same mark as allotted for the Grand National.
So too, that Busselton has been allotted his true mark of 138, which has been carefully chiselled down with some excellent placing and thoughtful campaigning. He has run twice over the course before Christmas, running down the field (but with significant promise) to both give him experience and shave a few pounds off his rating.
In truth, I would fancy him with any rating really and it is worth adding to the Vanillier bet with Busselton and the 10/1 each-way generally for 4 places and with the ‘Non-Runner, No Bet’ concession. Many will notice this ‘generous’ mark and bet him accordingly.
On his day, Busselton has been a versatile and top-quality horse, and connections have been able to plot him towards certain races, as so often is the case with Joseph O’Brien and his handling of all different types, they arrive with all of the relevant factors in their favour.
In Busselton’s case again, the blinkers will be back on, he will be hard fit, and confidence will be high following the lowish handicap mark he has been given.
I’ve struggled to shake the impression left by STUMPTOWN when winning over course and distance back here in December and while the 8lbs rise in the weights won’t help his chance, I don’t think it’s enough to halt his progression either. He’s won 3 of his 4 banks/cross country races with his only defeat coming first time in this sphere when knocked into by a loose horse and he was a neck second at the 2023 Festival in the Kim Muir which is good form. I think he’s better on a sounder surface, so while he has won on Heavy and that win in December came on soft, the drying ground won’t pose any issue to him and any rain that falls also won’t hinder his chances.
I think he’s a rock-solid favourite for this race and while I respect there are a few dangers in here, and it’s a race with 5 places up for grabs in a field of 16, I couldn’t find much to split those in behind for an EW alternative, but I do believe they are behind STUMPTOWN.
STUMPTOWN – 1.5 STAR WIN @ 11/4 (Hills)
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| Selection | Odds |
|---|---|
| Stumptown | 5/2 |
| Galvin | 9/2 |
| Busselton | 8/1 |
| Mister Coffey | 9/1 |
| Vanillier | 10/1 |
| Iceo Madrik | 12/1 |
| Latenightpass | 16/1 |
| Coko Beach | 20/1 |
| Chemical Energy | 25/1 |
| Iwilldoit | 25/1 |
| Roi Mage | 25/1 |
| The Goffer | 28/1 |
| Conflated | 33/1 |
| Escaria Ten | 40/1 |
| Enjoy D'Allen | 40/1 |
| French Dynamite | 40/1 |
| Gevrey | 40/1 |
| Three By Two | 40/1 |
| Deise Aba | 40/1 |
| Unanswered Prayers | 50/1 |
| Slipway | 50/1 |
| Minella Crooner | 66/1 |
| Back On The Lash | 66/1 |
| Chambard | 100/1 |
| Cross Country Chase | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Time | Distance | Type |
| Wed 12/03/2025 | 15:20 | 3m 6f | Chase |
The Cross Country Chase is a steeplechase race that takes place on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, which is known as Ladies Day, and covers a distance of approximately 3 miles and 6 furlongs.
Unlike other steeplechase races at the Cheltenham Festival, the Cross Country Chase takes place on a specially designed course that includes a variety of different obstacles, including banks, ditches, and fences. The course is designed to test the horses’ jumping and stamina abilities, as well as their adaptability to different terrains and challenges.
The race is open to horses aged five years and older, and it often attracts a large field of runners from all over the world. The pace of the race can be slower than other steeplechases, as the horses must navigate a variety of different obstacles, and there are often changes in terrain and direction that require the horses to be agile and flexible.
Over the years, many legendary horses and jockeys have competed in the Cross Country Chase, including the likes of Tiger Roll, who won the race in 2018, 2019 and 2021, and jockey Keith Donoghue, who rode Tiger Roll to victory in all three of those years.
Betting tips for the Cross Country Chase will be published here in the weeks leading up to the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
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Previous Tips
2024 Tips [Expired]
by Will Smith…
The Glenfarclas Cross-Country race this year feels a lot like a Veteran’s Gold Cup in some ways, which may not please many as the fact that it is a level weights race these days, means that some of the more specialist type cross-country horses are now up against it.
Talk abounds about various changes to the Cheltenham Festival schedule and races that fill it, and one of those that could come into the reckoning is the reversion of this race back into a handicap, which would make for a much more competitive event.
As this year’s renewal will surely be won by one of Minella Indo, Delta Work, Galvin, Coko Beach or maybe, just maybe Foxy Jacks. Anything else would be a surprise for me.
Weather will dictate again, much like a number of other races summarised so far, and if it stayed as heavy as it currently is apparently on the cross-country track, then you’d be hard pushed to not see Coko Beach running a massive race, given just much he seemed to enjoy the banks course at Punchestown last month.
A best priced 5/1 for only 3 places currently doesn’t make much appeal, but it is easily imaginable that he would be available at 6/1+ for maybe an extra 4th place once declarations are confirmed.
While if it did dry up a tad, then Foxy Jacks would definitely come into the reckoning as he was mightily impressive when winning over the track in November, and if some ‘good to soft’ entered the description next Wednesday, then the current 14/1 best price would look large.
But again, patience is a virtue when it comes to the likely betting make-up for the cross-country.
2023 Tips [Expired]
Much like last season, when Delta Work pooped Tiger Roll’s party, Gordon Elliott might do to Delta Work what was done to him 12 months ago, as the classy Galvin has reportedly schooled very well over the unique course.
Again, it’s not my inclination to take these two Grade 1 chasers on, but look to the exotic markets, and a number of firms offer a market ‘without Delta Work and Galvin,’ and given how well she took the course on penultimate start, and how well she ran in the first-time applied cheekpieces (which are retained) at Haydock last time, Snow Leopardess is worth backing in that market.
She’s always been very good on her day, as advertised by a Becher Chase win and countless other classy performances, and with the ground very much in her favour, Snow Leopardess is very much worth a bet at 13/2 each-way with Paddy Power, in their ‘without Delta Work and Galvin’ market.
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