Gavin Cromwell completed a hat-trick of cross country wins at Cheltenham yesterday as Final Orders produced a commanding performance to beat young pretender J’Arrive de L’Est 4 1/4l in the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country, the seventh leg of the 12 race challenge.

Winning rider Keith Donoghue, winning his eighth victory over this unique course at Cheltenham, once again showed his understanding of how to ride the course, keeping Final Orders prominent throughout, and taking up the running from the ninth of the 31 fences. His race record, that started with Tiger Roll back in March 2018, includes further festival victories on that horse in 2019 and 2021,  Delta Work in the Festival race here in 2023, and Stumptown’s treble through last season.

The six year old French import from Daniele Mele, J’Arrive de L’Est, was also prominent throughout, but not foot perfect at the ninth, relinquishing the lead and never able to regain it from that juncture. Experience may yet give him an edge, but this was a delicious opportunity off a low weight, as understood by punters who sent him off 7/4 favourite.

Iceo Madrik burnished his reputation after his early exit here 12 months ago, and a debacle at Compiegne last month, and ran prominently without being able to land a blow, making a 3-4 for Caroline Tisdall, whose horses campaign on both sides of the Channel.

There were hard luck stories for Amirite, who might have been expected to be prominent given his high rating, but mistakes at the 18th and 20th – put down to shedding a plate – put paid to his chance; also for veteran cross country competitor Vital Island, a former winner of the La Touche at Punchestown, who was brought down by the fall of Favori de Champdou.

Cromwell’s second victory abroad puts him in a much stronger position to challenge long time Trainers’ Award leader Josef Vana, given legs back at Cheltenham and in Punchestown still to come, but credit where credit is due to the Czech, who recognized the opportunity of building a lead in races outside the Czech Republic early in the Challenge. He will still take a lot of pulling back, and the cards have to fall right for the French and Irish to deny him a second Crystal Cup, even if his owner, Scuderia Aichner, is now surely a shoo-in for the Owners’ Award.

Full result here