Latest news with #DeltaWork
Telegraph
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Grand National tips 2025: Three ante-post betting selections
The most exciting jump race off them all, the Grand National, is not just around the corner and so the time has come for Telegraph Sport to help you find a winner. After the latest round of forfeits, Intense Raffles has been left as the 7/1 favourite for the race following Gavin Cromwell's decision to withdraw red-hot favourite Inothewayurethinkin following his resounding win in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. That decision has blown the market wide open, with several horses still entered boosting their credentials with good runs at the Cheltenham Festival. Last year's winner, I Am Maximus, remains on course to defend his crown for Willie Mullins. Click here for a full rundown of runners for this year's race. Here, Telegraph Sport lists three horses who should be on your radar ahead of the big race on April 5. Grand National 2025 tips Stumptown (Gavin Cromwell) 10/1 If there is one race that has proved a proper testing ground for Grand National success in recent years it has been the Cross Country at Cheltenham. Tiger Roll won the race in 2018 and 2019 and before taking the big prize at Aintree, while the likes of Cause Of Causes and Delta Work have run superbly Aintree after their Cross Country wins. This year's winner Stumptown is therefore of real interest at double-figure odds. He was a resounding winner of the Cross Country, slamming Latenightpass by seven lengths in the manner of a horse who had plenty more to offer at the line. That would have to give confidence that he will relish the extra five furlongs he will face at Aintree. He'll undoubtedly get a decent ratings bump for that display so should be well-in at the weights come the Grand National. Keith Donoghue will likely take the ride again for a trainer who is bang in form at the right time of year. There is little not to like about his chances. Perceval Legallois (Gavin Cromwell) 14/1 Another horse from the Cromwell stable who looks to have been laid out for this race all season. Perceval Legallois first caught the eye winning at the 2023 Dublin Racing Festival when he demolished a competitive handicap hurdle field off what, in hindsight, was a mark that far underestimated his abilities. Hi switch to chasing has not been without its ups and downs but he this season he has slowly come to the boil, running well in the Kerry National and the Troytown before dotting up in a big-field handicap at Leopardstown over Christmas off a mark of 142. He got an 11lb hike in the weights for his trouble that day but the manner of the success suggested there could be even more to come even off a revised mark. "THERE IS A BIG CHASE IN HIM!" 🏆 Perceval Legallois finally gets his day in the sun in the Listed @paddypower Chase under Mark Walsh for @gavincromwell1 and JP McManus 🟢🟡 — Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 27, 2024 Switched back to hurdles at this year's Dublin Racing Festival, he again took down a big handicap in what could prove to be the perfect prep for the Grand National. The only unknown is the trip but he's bred to stay and has looked strongest at the finish in both wins this season. He has a huge chance. Nick Rockett (Willie Mullins) 16/1 A Grade 2 winner over hurdles, Nick Rockett might just be the class angle in this year's Grand National. Winner of the Thyestes at Gowran in January, he followed that up with battling display to beat Grand National favourite Intense Raffles in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairhouse. On the basis of that performance and the difference in their Grand National weights, it's easy to see why the market is the way it is but Nick Rockett could well be the graded horse lurking in a handicap in this race. The trip should hold no issues either, as evidenced by his staying-on third in the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown over 3m4½f. With stablemate I Am Maximus carrying top weight, you can make a case that this is in fact the Wilie Mullins first string for the race. If nothing else, that has to bring him into your punting calculations. Expect his price to tighten up the closer we get to the big race.
The Independent
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Three-time Cheltenham Festival winner Delta Work dies aged 12
Former Cheltenham winner and Grand National runner-up Delta Work had died at the age of 12 after a bout of colic. The horse, who was owned by Gigginstown House Stud and trained by Gordon Elliott, was last seen securing a fourth-placed finish at the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham last month. He was taken to Fethard Equine Hospital and underwent surgery after showing signs of colic, but he was unable to be saved. Delta Work was best-known for winning the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase in 2022 and 2023, with the initial victory coming against his Grand National-winning stablemate Tiger Roll. His first victory at the famous course came in the 2018 Pertemps Final, and he also finished third in the Grand National in 2022 and runner-up last season. Overall, the 12-year-old won 12 of his 40 career outings, including the the 2020 Irish Gold Cup, and he was being prepared to run the Glenfarclas Chase for a third time in addition to a fourth run at Aintree. In a statement, Gigginstown's Eddie O'Leary called Delta Work 'an unbelievable horse'. 'We were very, very lucky and proud to have him and be associated with him,' he said. "He was brilliant for Gordon and Gordon was brilliant for him. He was so versatile, so honest and so sound. "He had the colic this morning and we tried to operate to save him for the field, but even that unfortunately didn't work out,' he added. "He seems to have been around forever and God bless him, he was an absolute superstar." In his own statement posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Elliott said: "Sadly Delta Work has passed away this morning at the age of 12 after a bout of colic. "He was a privilege to train and won five Grade Ones and at three Cheltenham Festivals. He was a hero and will be sorely missed by everyone at Cullentra."
BBC News
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Cheltenham winner Delta Work dies aged 12
Three-time Cheltenham Festival winner Delta Work, who also finished runner-up in the 2024 Grand National, has died at the age of horse, owned by Gigginstown House Stud and trained by Gordon Elliot, passed away following a bout of Work first tasted success at Cheltenham in the 2018 Pertemps Final, before back-to-back victories in the Glenfarclas Chase in 2022 and well as five victories at Grade One level, Delta Work finished third in the Grand National in 2022 and second two years later."He was an unbelievable horse and we were very, very lucky and proud to have him and be associated with him," said Gigginstown's Eddie O'Leary."He was brilliant for Gordon and Gordon was brilliant for him. He was so versatile, so honest and so sound."
BBC News
11-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
I Am Maximus heads Grand National weights
Last year's winner I Am Maximus has been allocated top weight for the Grand National at Aintree on 5 Willie Mullins-trained horse, owned by JP McManus, triumphed by seven and a half lengths in the 2024 race from runner-up Delta Work, with Minella Indo third and Galvin said it would be a big task to win the race for a second time, carrying 11st 12lb. No top weight has won the race since triple victor Red Rum in 1974."It's top weight and it's tough, but we had an idea that it would be tough," said Mullins, who also won the National with Hedgehunter in 2005."It was huge to win it last year for the second time. I felt very spoilt winning a second Grand National."Royale Pagaille is second on the list at 11st 9lb, while his Venetia Williams stablemate L'Homme Presse is a pound lower alongside the Mullins pair of Grangeclare West and Nick Rockett, plus Envoi Allen for Henry de his weight, I Am Maximus is joint favourite with bookmakers alongside Inothewayurthinkin (11st 5lb) for Gavin last year's other placed horses, Delta Work is on 11st 2lb, Minella Indo a pound higher and Galvin on 10st 13lb. Approximate odds: 10-1 Inothewayurthinkin, I Am Maximus, 14-1 Iroko, 16-1 Monty's Star, Nick Rockett, Intense Raffles; 20-1 Minella Cocooner, Stumptown; 25-1 Kandoo Kid, Perceval Legallois; 33-1 Bar Mr Vango set to miss Grand National The National is a handicap chase with runners allocated different weights that they must carry according to their are currently 87 horses entered for the race. The maximum number of runners in the National was cut last year to 34 from 40 following a safety review and 32 runners went to post after two handicapper Martin Greenwood believes those at 59 or above in the current list will struggle to make the Vango, winner of the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock for Sara Bradstock, is at 65 on 10st 2lb and likely to miss out."It will break my heart if we get some soft ground and we can't run because he could win a National on soft ground. That was why I was so keen," said Bradstock, whose husband Mark – trainer of 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Coneygree – died last year."It does look like there's possibly rain this spring, but we're not going to get in are we?"Former football manager Harry Redknapp faces a wait to see if his horse Shakem Up'arry – number 58 in the list on 10st 4lb – will make the trainer Paul Nicholls hopes to have five runners - Hitman, Bravemansgame, Threeunderthrufive, Kandoo Kid and Stay Away well as a reduction in runners, other safety measures introduced last year included a standing start for the race, which went off at the first time of asking, a reduction in height to one of the fences, and added foam and rubber toe boards on every were no fallers and 21 horses completed the race - the highest number across the finish line since 1992 - with four horses unseating their riders and seven pulled up.
