Which horse has won the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase most often?

For the uninitiated, the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is, nowadays, a conditions or level weights steeplechase run over three-and-three-quarter miles on a dedicated cross country course at Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire, South West England. It is currently scheduled to be run on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, staged annually in March, having originally been added to the programme when what is considered the pinnacle of the National Hunt racing was extended to four days from three in 2005. Until 2016, the race was run as a handicap steeplechase, but has, nonetheless, been sponsored by independent whiskey distillery Glenfarclas since 2009.

The Cross Country Course at Cheltenham was introduced in 1995 and consists of a variety of idiosyncratic obstacles, including banks, ditches, hedges and even an Aintree-style fence, reminiscent of those jumped during the Grand National. Given the marathon distance and the nature of the obstacles, 32 of which are jumped during the race, it should come as no surprise to learn that the most successful horse in the history of the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase is, in fact, Tiger Roll.

Of course, the diminutive Authorized gelding is best remembered for winning back-to-back renewals of the Grand National in 2018 and 2019. Nevertheless, Tiger Roll also won the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase en route to both victories at Aintree and did so again in 2021, for a total of three wins altogether. Indeed, he came within three-quarters of a length of a fairytale finale to his racing career when runner-up behind stable companion Delta Work in 2022, having only surrendered the lead in the last half a furlong or so.