Delta Work

A runner in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 Grand National, Delta Work, trained by Gordon Elliott, originally took the ‘Tiger Roll route’ to the National by winning the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival as part of his build-up.

After that, Delta Work managed to run a respectable third place in the 2022 Grand National, showing his liking for the slightly different test of the race. Foaled in 2013, the horse has been in the care of Gordon Elliott during his UK & Ireland career but actually started off by racing in France before being bought by the Gigginstown Stud. While the attempt in 2023 was not for the history books, he returned to delivering to take second place in 2024.

Full Results

2022 Third Placed Effort

We saw an excellent performance from Delta Work on his first try at the Grand National and first attempt at the big Aintree fences. He was strongly fancied on the day and sent off at 10/1, finishing a distant third, just over 22 lengths behind the winner, Noble Yeats.

He was seemingly in with a chance of winning the race two fences from home, but from this point, the front two managed to stay on far better than Delta Work, and the feeling is that he just failed to last home. Despite fading, he was able to hold onto third, fending off Santini in fourth.

2023 Not Such A Good Run

There were high hopes all round for Gordon Elliot’s Delta work to either place again this year or take the big prize. Having won the Cheltenham Cross Country very comfortably back in the March of this year, Delta Work certainty showed strength and promise. However, during the 2023 race, Delta Work sadly didn’t see the course the the end, unseating his jockey at fence 21.

The whole of the race looked uncertain from an early mistake and he couldn’t shift away from midfield. Following the Grand National, Gordon Elliot gave Delta Work a substantial rest, spanning 179 days,  retuning to Punchestown with some pleasing results during the October 2023. Being nearly 11 years old at the next Grand National, this isn’t old for this race – some may say its a prime age for the race – very likely we will see him return.

2024 Back In Business

Of course we would see his return for 2024. With Jack Kennedy back in the saddle after a 62 day break since his previous run in 2024, Delta Work was being prepped and primed in the Elliott yard possibly for one last chance (or maybe not – lets see for 2025, he is still only 11 years old).

He made a slight mistake at the first fence then an even bigger wobble at the 8th, hitting the fence which could have been the end for him However, Delta Work stayed midfield, steady with the pack for the most part. At the 24th fence he was leading and gaining momentum with the core group that would eventually place well. There was a true feeling at around fence 27 that the ground he was gaining was going to serve him well. However, he soon lost pace to I Am Maximus, coming in second seven lengths behind, but certainly gave a great run, reminding punters of his tremendous efforts back in 2022.

Dual Cheltenham Festival Winner

It is certainly worth mentioning the excellent record that Delta Work has at the Cheltenham Festival, which has resulted in him winning twice at the biggest meeting in national hunt racing. The first of those came in 2018, over hurdles, before he went over the bigger obstacles. This was in the Pertemps handicap hurdle, a traditionally tricky handicap, which he won by a nose on the line, a dramatic finish on a big stage.

His second Cheltenham Festival win came in 2022 when he won the Cross Country Chase on his way to the Aintree contest. This is the race where he really showed his staying ability for the first time, winning over three miles and six furlongs and doing so on heavy ground. He won the race by three-quarters of a length, with Grand National legend Tiger Roll back in second place.

In between those wins, he’s performed very respectably in two other big Cheltenham Festival races. He was fifth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2020, behind Al Boum Photo, and a year earlier, he was third behind Topofthegame in the RSA Chase as a novice.

Delta Work’s Early Years

Delta Work’s racing career actually began in France, where he ran a couple of times. These were both flat races, over 1m4f, and he managed to pick up a win on the second outing of his career. After this, he was sold to the Gigginstown Stud, who put the horse in training with Gordon Elliott.

The early part of Delta Work’s career was all about his consistency. Regardless of the standard of race, he was in, he always performed well. Prior to running in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, he ran 17 times for Gordon Elliott and finished in the top four in all of these, with eight of these being wins, a great win rate, and even better consistency from him.

Delta Work’s Big Race Wins Up Until 2022

Being a dual Cheltenham Festival winner is a huge deal, so the Pertemps win in 2018 and the Cross Country win in 2022 stand out as being two huge victories in this horse’s career. However, in terms of grade, the Pertemps race is a Grade Three handicap, and the Cross Country is a class two contest.

Delta Work has won five times at Grade One level, the highest possible level to win at. Three of those were during his days as a novice chaser, beginning with the Drinmore at Fairyhouse, and followed up with wins at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival and Punchestown April Festival, both again, in Grade One races.

His two wins in open company at Grade One level also came in Ireland. He won the Savills Chase at Leopardstown at the end of 2019, then a couple of months later, won the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown. He won both of those on his way to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, a month after his Irish Gold Cup win, but was only able to finish fifth.

An incredibly talented horse who has proven his ability to win at the top level, time and time again.