Delta Work jockey Jack Kennedy praised legendary horse Tiger Roll but admitted disappointment after he and his winner were booed following their victory in the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham Festival.
Tiger Roll agonisingly missed out on capping off an illustrious career with a win in the famous race but put in a valiant performance before losing to stablemate Delta Work. The two-time Grand National winner was looking for a record-equalling sixth Festival win and set off as a 3-1 second-favourite.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Tiger Roll failed to win the three-and-three-quarter-mile race for a fourth time as the ground officially changed to heavy after the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. Delta Work and Kennedy clawed the lead with 200 yards remaining and secured the win by three-quarters of a length.
There were boos from the crowd as Delta Work took the win, but Kennedy was sympathetic as he understood the occasion. “It doesn't bother me being booed but I was disappointed for Delta Work because he deserves a lot of credit,” Kennedy told ITV. “Tiger Roll lost nothing in defeat, he ran his heart out. He's a horse of a lifetime and he'll have a happy retirement.”
The 22-year-old agreed it ‘would have been a great story’ if Tiger Roll had won, but re-iterated his belief that Delta Work deserved the win, adding: “Obviously everybody would have loved to see Tiger Roll win, but you can’t take away from my horse either.
“I thought I was always going to get there. I knew I could be the most hated man in Cheltenham on Wednesday evening if I won. I’m delighted to win, his schooling had been brilliant. I thought the ground would be gone for [Tiger Roll], I was surprised with how well he was going. I suppose it was in my head that he might not get up the hill as well as my lad on that ground.”
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It was the 45th and final run of Tiger Roll’s career, which started in 2014 and collected owner Michael O’Leary over £1.4 million in prize money. Regardless, both Delta Work and Tiger Roll emerged in the winners’ enclosure together to rapturous applause.
“I really would have loved to see Tiger go out on a win,” an emotional O’Leary said. “It’s hard to not be disappointed. You’ve a winner at Cheltenham and I’m disappointed.
“It’s just a magical fairytale on ground that doesn’t suit him. He’s gone out on his shield, he’s a warrior and that’s a Gold Cup horse that has beat him and only just on ground he wouldn’t like. I’m actually upset – I would have loved to see him win it.
“This is his send-off – he owes us nothing. He’s been wonderful to come back here for the six, seven, eight years.
He added: “He’s been the horse of a lifetime and in many ways Cheltenham has been his spiritual home. He’s won five times here in Cheltenham. I know he’s won two Grand Nationals, but he started here in Cheltenham.
“To start off winning the Triumph Hurdle here as a four-year-old, then win the National Hunt Chase and three cross-country races, it’s incredible He’s a legend.”
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