The Gordon Elliott-trained Galvin, who was last seen pulling up in the 2025 Cross Country Chase, has been retired and will head to his owner Ronnie Bartlett’s farm.
Popular Chaser Galvin Retired After Pulling Up Lame In Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham
Horse racing jumps fans will be familiar with the name GALVIN, who has raced in some of the top staying chases both in England and Ireland since he started his career back in 2018 – with the news this week coming out of the Gordon Elliott yard that he’ll now be retired.
Galvin was last seen pulling up lame in the 2025 Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
A race one of the Grand National favourites Stumptown went into win.
The good news is that Galvin has recovered from that race, but at the age of 11 connections opted last week to remove him from the 2025 Grand National runners and have now also announced he won’t race again.
He finished fourth in the 2024 Grand National behind I Am Maximus too – beaten only 8 1/2 lengths.
His trainer Gordon Elliott posted on X – “Happy retirement to Galvin. After a very successful career, which included winning the Grade 1 Savills Chase and a second in the American National, Galvin will enjoy his retirement with his owner Ronnie Bartlett. Thanks for the memories Galvin.”
He’s expected to be housed with his owner Ronnie Bartlett at one of his farms.
Happy retirement to Galvin🥂
After a very successful career, which included winning the Grade 1 Savills Chase and a second in the American National, Galvin will enjoy his retirement with his owner Ronnie Bartlett.
Thanks for the memories Galvin 🏆 pic.twitter.com/5YkkKX6wtc
— Gordon Elliott (@gelliott_racing) March 24, 2025
Galvin Career In Numbers
- Age (at retirement): 11
- Career Runs: 32
- Career Wins: 13
- Grade One Wins: 1 (Savills Chase 2021)
- Total Prize Money: £449,814
Galvin Ran At The Cheltenham Festival Six Times
Cheltenham Festival lovers since 2019 have seen Galvin as a regular fixture at the meeting over the years – running there six times in total.
He ran fourth to A Plus Tard in the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup – which came the season after he landed the NH Chase at the Festival in 2021.
Galvin, who was famed for loving quicker ground, was also second in the 2020 North Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Plus, also ran second behind his former stablemate Delta Work in the 2023 Cross Country Chase at the meeting.
His first race at the Festival came when 6th in the 2019 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle aged just 5.
He ended his career having run 32 times, with 23 of these coming over fences. Winning 13 of them (41%).
Banking £449,814 in total prize money along the way.
Galvin’s Biggest Win Came In The 2021 Savills Chase at Leopardstown
Despite running at the Cheltenham Festival six times, Galvin’s biggest success in his career came in 2021 when he landed the Grade One Savills Chase at Leopardstown.
He outgunned A Plus Tard in that race by a shorthead (watch below), with the second then going onto land the Cheltenham Gold Cup that season.
Galvin Was Also Second In The 2024 American Grand National
Galvin did the bulk of his racing in the UK and Ireland but also flew to the US in 2024 to run in the American Grand National. He finished just a neck second.
The US version of the world’s greatest steeplechase is, however, run over hurdles and over a trip of 2m5f.
Which, at the age of 10 (at the time), would have been on the short side for Galvin.
