Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Minella Indo faces a new challenge in the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase when he returns to the scene of his finest hour on Friday.
The 10-year-old has a stellar record at Prestbury Park, famously providing trainer Henry de Bromhead with a first victory in the blue riband when getting the better of stablemate A Plus Tard in 2021.
He had previously claimed the Albert Bartlett in 2019 before going mightily close when chinned by the fast-finishing Champ in the following season’s RSA.
Although scoring twice since that herculean Gold Cup effort, and also placing in the following year’s renewal, his overall form has been hit and miss in the past few campaigns and, having been well held behind Gerri Colombe at Down Royal most recently, connections have decided to try a change of approach.
He is not the first classy operator to throw his hat into the cross-country mix and there have been positive reports from his handler ahead of this first try around the twists and turns of Cheltenham’s popular circuit.
Jack Kennedy celebrates as Minella Indo wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup
“He seems to really enjoy it and has been schooling well, so we said we would let him take his chance,” said De Bromhead.
“He seems in great form and we have been delighted with him. We want to have a look at the race and see, we think it is something he enjoys and we will see on Friday.”
Rider Rachael Blackmore told Betfair: “This is obviously a new discipline for him, his first run in a cross-country race, but he has done plenty of cross-country schooling at home, and he has also had a pop over some of the obstacles at Cheltenham.
“Of course, you can’t beat racing experience around that track, but he has shown us plenty with the cross-country bits that he has done.
“It’s a handicap, so he has to give weight away to all his rivals, but he is a Gold Cup winner who retains lots of ability, and I’m hoping that he can run well.”
Few can match Gordon Elliott’s dominance at Cheltenham in this sphere, with the Cullentra House handler winning the Cheltenham Festival edition of this contest five times in the past seven years, as well as being denied another victory due to suspension.
Tiger Roll and Delta Work have become cross-country legends for Elliott in recent times, but both the latter and Galvin finished out of the money when appearing at the November meeting.
Galvin is in ‘good form’, according to Gordon Elliott
Festival runner-up Galvin was sent off favourite on that occasion and is given the chance to make amends as he continues on his path to March and he is joined on the team sheet by Fury Road, as Elliott searches for his first success in this particular contest since Bless The Wings’ triumph in 2017.
“Both horses are in good form, they would probably prefer better ground, but they are in good form,” said Elliott.
“Galvin will come on for his run there in November, but we’re just working back from Cheltenham in March.
“Fury Road has been great for us. It’s his first run over the fences, so a good education will do him well.”
It was Mouse Morris’ Foxy Jacks who took advantage of a rare off-day for the Elliott runners last month, but going down valiantly on his shield in second was Latenightpass and his regular jockey Gina Andrews.
The 10-year-old, who claimed the Aintree Foxhunters’ in 2022, is 3lb higher this time around but still receives over a stone in weight from some of his higher-calibre rivals, with trainer Dan Skelton anticipating another bold showing.
Gina Andrews lets out a roar as Latenightpass wins the Foxhunters’ at Aintree
Skelton said: “He ran beautifully last time and I was very happy with what I saw.
“He’s got a low weight again this time and he’s got to be competitive again. He would have to be in the mix.”
Gesskille has relished a unique jumping test since joining Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero and the Grand Sefton hero arrives in search of a hat-trick, having secured another victory in Auteuil on his penultimate start.
His training team see this as the ideal spot to preserve the seven-year-old’s enthusiasm while they consider a Grand National tilt in the new year, while Didero Vallis was third here last month and represents the flying Venetia Williams stable.
Ciaran Murphy’s Irish raider Enjoy D’allen will sport the green and gold hoops of JP McManus, with Richard Bandey’s Diesel D’Allier 3lb lower than when successful two years ago and tried in a tongue-tie and cheekpieces combination for the first time.
