It was a record-equalling fifth victory in the contest for trainer Gordon Elliott and a record-equalling fourth success for jockey Keith Donoghue.

Successful owner Michael O’Leary said: “He has been a great horse around Cheltenham. He won a Pertemps here one year and that is his second Cross Country Chase winner and it is wonderful to have a winner around here. It is a great training performance by Gordon to win that race again. Every winner at the Festival is a big winner. It is so hard to win races here. With Gordon and the team at Cullentra (House) are one of the top teams and we are privileged to have days like this and winners like Delta.