Stumptown, trained by Gavin Cromwell, aims to continue his impressive record at Cheltenham. The seven-year-old has delivered strong performances at the track, including a New Year’s Day win and a narrow second-place finish to Angels Dawn in the 2023 Kim Muir at the Festival.
Recently transitioning to cross-country racing, Stumptown has excelled with back-to-back wins at Punchestown. Cromwell is optimistic about his charge's ability to adapt to the unique demands of Cheltenham’s cross-country course.
“He’s very effective at Punchestown, but Cheltenham is a different challenge. Hopefully, he’ll take to it and be competitive. He’s in good form,” Cromwell said.
Vanillier Joins the Fray
Cromwell also fields Vanillier, winner of the 2021 Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham and runner-up to Corach Rambler in the 2023 Grand National. While he was pulled up in a recent run over standard fences at Cheltenham, Vanillier showed promise when sixth on his cross-country debut last month, finishing behind Stumptown.
“Vanillier ran well on his first try at cross-country. Hopefully, he can improve and be competitive,” Cromwell added. “His initial run of the season at Cheltenham was disappointing, but his last performance was more encouraging.”
Gigginstown Duo Face a Challenge
Gigginstown House Stud brings two top-weight contenders: Delta Work and Coko Beach, both trained by Gordon Elliott. Delta Work, a two-time Glenfarclas Chase winner at the Festival, returns to cross-country racing after a fifth-place finish in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal. Meanwhile, Coko Beach looks to improve after finishing fifth behind Stumptown in his most recent outing.
Eddie O’Leary of Gigginstown expressed frustration over the Festival cross-country race reverting to a handicap format this year, which he believes puts top-weight horses at a disadvantage.
“They have a massive task with those weights. The Festival cross-country race should be a conditions race—it’s meant for good horses. This change has ruined it,” O’Leary said.
A Competitive Field
Other notable entries include Elliott’s Chemical Energy, Gevrey, and The Goffer; French contender Iceo Madrik, trained by David Cottin; Nicky Henderson’s Mister Coffey; and Latenightpass, saddled by Tom Ellis.
As Stumptown and Vanillier test their skills in the unique cross-country discipline, fans can look forward to an exciting and competitive race at Prestbury Park.