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Gabbys Cross Horse Profile and Form | LeoVegas

Gabbys Cross

Meet Gabbys Cross

Gabbys Cross is an 8-year-old bay gelding who races in hurdle and chase races but who has also competed in national hunt chases and point-to-point races in the past.

It already has four wins under its belt and competed in the Aintree Grand National in 2023.

Gabbys Cross CV: The Nuts and Bolts

Gabbys Cross is sired by Frammasone (Ireland), and its dam was Mille Et Une Nuits (France), who in turn had Ecologist (GB) as its sire. The breeder was Mrs P M Grainger.

It was first raced in the Goffs Punchestown Sale 4yo Maiden – Auction at Monksgrange, Ireland, as a 4-year-old on April 28, 2019, winning after going off as a 6/1 chance.

In 23 starts under Rules, Gabbys Cross won four times with a further two runner-up spots and a third-place finish, as well.

At the time of writing, it’s earned £74,225 from its four wins and a total of £97,636 when you also include the three times it placed.

Gabbys Cross Horse Racing: One Trainer, Several Jockeys

Throughout his career, Gabbys Cross has only ever had one trainer, Henry de Bromhead, who’s based in County Waterford.

It is, however, a different story when it comes to the jockeys who have ridden the 8-year-old horse.

Jockeys who have ridden Gabbys Cross

Rachael Blackmore has ridden him the most times (13) and was on board for his four wins under rules. The other jockeys to have ridden him were Mr D. Roche, Mr B O’Neill, H. Morgan, D Robinson and Peter Carberry. Mr P O’Connor and D.J O’Keefe who rode Gabbys Cross in his last two starts resulting in back-to-back runner-up spots after going off at 6/1 and 9/2 respectively.

The suggestion from those in the racing business is that after a 13-ride partnership between Rachael Blackmore and Gabbys Cross, Blackmore is unlikely to ride him again in the future.

His jockeys tend to hold him up in the rear rather than having him as a front-runner and he looks like a horse who can stay beyond 3 miles, but he has frequently run out of steam over the considerably longer distance of 4 miles.

Despite four good wins to his name and two creditable shows in big 3-mile handicaps, he’s often let punters down in valuable handicaps as he’s certainly prone to the odd costly mistake when it comes to jumping.

How has Gabbys Cross performed in the biggest races?

Gabbys Cross has raced in the biggest jumps race of them all, the Aintree Grand National, in April 2023. But it didn’t go well.

Carrying 10-2 with a rating of 142 at the time and going off as a 50/1 chance with Peter Carberry on board, it unseated the rider at the 15th (The Chair) after being badly hampered by a faller, in what was its second mistake in the race, this one proving costly.

Tracks where Gabbys Cross has won

Interestingly, it’s never won more than once at any track with its four wins coming at:

  • Tramore
  • Punchestown
  • Naas
  • Galway.

The four wins of Gabbys Cross all came thanks to a similar racing strategy of being held up at the rear, making his move with two or three out and using its pace over the last couple of furlongs, also showing some good staying power when challenged.

The best example of that was at Punchestown in December 2020, when just about getting the better of 9/2 favourite Debuchet as the finishing line approached.

Gabbys Cross v Busselton - Current Score: 1-1

Curiously, in none of Gabbys Cross’ twenty-three starts has there been another horse who went on to win more than once.

In the summer of 2022, there was an interesting rivalry between him and French horse Busselton.

Gabbys Cross beat Busselton (7/2 favourite) by two and a half lengths after going off at an SP of 22/1 at Galway over two miles and six furlongs; but Busselton hit back in Gabbys Cross’ very next race.

This time the French jumper went off at 13/2 and won relatively comfortably with Gabbys Cross (11/1) managing just a fifth-place finish.

Your 1 minute-guide to Horse Race Betting

Racing takes place in the UK and Ireland on almost every single day of the year and there are generally around three to six race meetings a day across flat and jump racing.

Odds are generally available 24-48 hours before the race goes off, though in the most high-profile races such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National, they can often go up months in advance.

The vast majority of money is bet on a particular horse to win while each-way betting (betting on the horse to win and/or place) is also popular. Other bets include the winning margin or who will finish best among two well-matched horses.

Best Odds Guaranteed

Punters are generally advised to place their bets after 10am on the day of the race, though.

That’s because of the Best Odds Guaranteed promotion that most betting sites offer these days, including LeoVegas. It means that if your horse goes on to win, you’ll be paid out at either the price you backed it at or its Starting Price, whichever is bigger. However, this only applies to bets placed after 10am on the day of the race.

How to Place a Bet on Gabbys Cross

If you’re keen on having a flutter on Gabbys Cross, here’s how to do it.

  • Perform a quick search on Google to see when it’s running next.
  • Navigate to the race in question on the LeoVegas Sportsbook.
  • Choose your stake and back Gabbys Cross to win, or each-way.
  • Remember to place your bet after 10am on the day of the race to benefit from the Best Odds Guaranteed offer, for maximum payouts.

Here are a few trends worth considering in light of Gabbys Cross’ four wins to date:

  • All four were with Rachael Blackmore in the saddle.
  • Its wins came when it went off at 9/4, 15/2, 22/1 and 22/1 again, meaning it's been known to win at big prices.
  • Two wins came over hurdles, the other two in chases.
  • It has won in races where the going was very different on the day, including ‘heavy’ and ‘good to yielding’ ground.
  • It’s never finished better than seventh from its three outings in Class 1 events.

Best Betting Strategies for Winning on Gabbys Cross

Gabbys Cross isn’t the easiest horse to work out when it comes to predicting when it might strike next.

Each of its wins came at different tracks and all four came with Rachael Blackmore on board, who doesn’t seem to ride him anymore. He’s also won at varying odds, further muddying the waters when it comes to predicting when it’s primed to win again.

Its record so far, however, suggests that Gabbys Cross will carry on struggling in Class 1 races, which appears to be a step up in class that’s a little too much for it to handle.

Despite the fact that its last two runs have both resulted in runner-up finishes, these results go against the grain because its first 21 races didn’t yield any runner-up places at all; there were four wins and a third.

So, the best advice is to back it win-only at big odds- 20/1 or bigger- in races below Class 1 level. After all, it’s twice won at 22/1.

FAQ

What are the latest Gabbys Cross horse racing tips?

Gabbys Cross isn’t currently named in any races, so wait till it is and then read what the experts have to say about its chances.

How do I calculate odds for Gabbys Cross races?

You don’t need to! The next time it’s in action, its LeoVegas odds will be available 24-48 hours before the race and it’s up to you to decide if you want to back it at the available odds.

What are the best betting strategies for Gabbys Cross?

Check out the ‘Horse Betting Strategies for Gabbys Cross’ above for clues as to what type of races Gabbys Cross could win.

Is Gabby's Cross a reliable bet in horse racing?

Yes, and no. On the one hand, its four wins from 23 races aren’t great as a strike rate and it’s only ever finished in the places on three occasions outside those wins. On the other hand, if you’d placed a £1 bet on each of its 23 races at SP odds, you’d be up £34.75 as a result of the fact that it’s twice won at odds of 22/1.