Delta Work

It appears that the quality of the performance that Delta Work put up in finishing third in the RSA Chase has been under-rated. True, he only finished third behind Topofthegame and Santini, but he was only beaten a total of just over two lengths, and he didn’t have a lot of luck through the race. His jumping was a little sticky on occasion, but he still travelled well down the hill, and he looked a likely winner when he moved to the front at the third last fence. He got in tight to the second last, however, which lost him valuable ground and momentum at a crucial stage of the race, and he was squeezed out of it as Topofthegame and Santini came together in front of him. He stayed on strongly on the run-in, however, closing slightly on the two leaders all the way to the winning line.

The first two home are both obviously highly talented staying novice chasers, but so is Delta Work. There may not be as much between the three of them as ante post markets on future races seem to indicate. If Gordon Elliott’s horse had had a smoother run through the RSA Chase, he would have finished closer. Also, he is only six, he is a year younger than his two rivals here.

The Gigginstown House horse won the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival last year, and he was only just beaten by Next Destination in the Grade 1 three-mile novices’ hurdle at Punchestown. He had won his three chases before Cheltenham this year, two of them Grade 1 races, and it is probable that we still haven’t got to the bottom of his ability over fences. He will be of interest if he runs at one of the other spring festivals this year, probably in the Growise Chase at Punchestown, and he remains a live Gold Cup contender for next year.

Cheltenham, 14^th March 2019