'It was devastating last year, now I'm grateful' - O'Leary able to cheer as Delta Work strikes again

For a second time Delta Work toughed it out to win the Cheltenham Festival’s longest and most unique prize yet the feeling of victory could not have felt any more different.

A year ago he chinned the legendary Tiger Roll to deny him and his many fans a fairytale farewell run – he even received boos by some of the opposition faithful – but since then he had dominated the market and delivered the performance many had been expecting and backing.

There was certainly no ill feeling as he denied a fresher-faced stablemate in the form of Galvin to ensure Gordon Elliott’s stranglehold in this event shows no signs of budging, and the pair delivered a pulsating battle having completed the final of 32 obstacles before Delta Work pulled clear to strike by two and a half lengths. 

Winning jockey Keith Donoghue can only be described as a specialist round this course, with this a fourth win. And while the Tiger won five times at this meeting, this was a third for Delta Work. Suddenly he is fast becoming a favourite of owner Michael O’Leary's – who loves nothing more than festival success – even if this race is not.

The man whose horses run under Gigginstown Stud said: “I used to be the most critical of this race, I thought why do you bother? But when you’re struggling for a winner at Cheltenham you take the Cross Country, Martin Pipe or anything. This isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but a winner is a winner.

“It was a bit devastating 12 months ago and I was giving out – now I’m very grateful. I thought Galvin was going easier and Davy [Russell] was tracking us the whole way. He’s a very good horse too. If it wasn’t going to be us I would’ve liked to see Ronnie [Bartlett, Galvin's owner] and the team at Cullentra win it.

“He’s been a great horse around Cheltenham, we’ll forgive him for beating Tiger Roll and it’s always wonderful to have winners around here. We’re privileged to have days like this and horses like Delta.”

Jockey Keith Donoghue celebrates with favourite backers after Delta Work's successCredit: GROSSICK RACING

In typical fashion for the Glenfarclas Chase, it was a race of drama. Gin On Lime unseated early and Ricky Doyle displayed an exemplary feat to stay aboard Foxy Jacks after a race-ending mistake at the ninth.

As the lesser-fancied rivals dropped away, the two class horses seized control. Francky Du Berlais’s game effort gave way from two out and he eventually refused at the last, and the Elliott pair were simultaneously put under pressure on the turn for home. Little separated them until the final 50 yards until the established cross-country king prevailed. Their next clash is to come in the Grand National next month.

In a standard O’Leary quip, he said of last year’s National third: “It’ll be on the agenda, but I’ve won the Grand National three times and that’s my fill, no owner has won more than three. Yes, he’ll go to Aintree, but will he win? No he won’t.”

Elliott was officially recording his fifth win in the race, but another came when Tiger Roll was running under Denise Foster’s name when he was serving a ban.

“I love the Cross Country race, I used to like a bit of hunting back in the day. It’s great to have the 1-2 and Galvin ran a great race,” he said.

“Once the two of them got over the last, I didn’t mind which one of them won. Galvin is going to come on from it. If I’m being honest, though, I was hoping it was going to be Delta’s day. We’ve trained him for this race and the Grand National all season."

Franco De Port finished third, while Lieutenant Rocco outran odds of 100-1 to take fourth place for Syd Hosie.

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