The Greatwood Hurdle, this year, will at the Cheltenham November Meeting and continues to be sponsored by leading bookmaker Unibet.
Run over 2m ½ f on the Old Course the contest gives National Hunt racing fans some early season pointers ahead of the Champion Hurdle, run at Cheltenham at the Festival in March – Rooster Booster (2002) was the last horse to win this race and go onto land that same season’s Champion Hurdle.
Since 1988 the race has been won four times by the Pipe stable, three times by Philip Hobbs and three times, including in 2015, by ex-champion trainer Paul Nicholls.
Here at RACING AHEAD we take a look back at recent winners and gives you the key trends to look out for ahead of the 2021 renewal…..this year run on Sunday 14th November.
Recent Greatwood Hurdle Winners
2020 – THE SHUNTER (13/2)
2019 – HARAMBE (16/1)
2018 – NIETZSCHE (20/1)
2017 – ELGIN (10/1)
2016 – NORTH HILL HARVEY (6/1)
2015 – OLD GUARD (12/1)
2014 – GARDE LA VICTOIRE (10/1)
2013 – DELL ‘ARCA (12/1)
2012 – OLOFI (8/1)
2011 – BRAMPOUR (12/1)
2010 – MENORAH (6/1)
2009 – KHYBER KIM (9/1)
2008 – NUMIDE (5/1)
2007 – SIZING EUROPE (5/1)
2006 – DETROIT CITY (6/5 fav)
2005 – LINGO (5/1)
2004 – ACCORDION ETOILE (100/30 fav)
2003 – RIGMAROLE (33/1)
2002 – ROOSTER BOOSTER (7/1)
Greatwood Hurdle Betting Trends and Stats
17/19 – Had won a 2m1f (or further) hurdles race before
17/19 – Had won no more than 4 times before over hurdles
14/19 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
14/19 – Had a recent run (within the last 6 weeks)
12/19 – Officially rated 140 or higher
12/19 – Finished in the top two last time out
12/19 – Had run at Cheltenham before
12/19 – Returned 10/1 or shorter in the betting
11/19 – Winning distance – 2 lengths or further
10/19 – Had run 6 or less times over hurdles
9/19 – Placed favourites
8/19 – Carried 11-4 or more
8/19 – Came from the first three in the betting
7/19 – Won their previous race
7/19 – Won by an Irish-bred horse
4/19 – Winners that carried 11-12
4/19 – Trained by Philip Hobbs
3/19 – Ridden by Richard Johnson
3/19 – Trained by Paul Nicholls
2/19 – Winning favourites
2/19 – Trained by Alan King (2 of the last 4)
2/19 – Won by an Irish-trained horse
The average winning SP in the last 19 years is 10/1
6 of the last 12 winners contested the previous season’s Supreme Novices’ or Triumph Hurdle
RACING AHEAD VERDICT: Super-competitive as always for this Grade 3 Hurdle. With 14 of the last 19 winners aged 4 or 5, then this is good news for Adagio, Jesse Evans, Tritonic, Camprond, Botox Has, Rockadenn, No Ordinary Joe, Cormier, Galice Macalo and Rowland Ward. Horses that also had a recent run have fared best with 14 of the last 19 winners having raced in the last six weeks, while being placed in the top two last time out is another plus. With that in mind, and the good record in the race of the Alan King yard, then their TRITONIC (e/w) can go well. This 4 year-old was down the field in the Triumph Hurdle here in March, but returned to this track with a fine second last month and now into a handicap looks interesting. He’d probably not want it to get much softer to be seen at his best, but that last run would have blown away the cobwebs after 4 months away from the track, plus with just four runs over hurdles he’s a horse we’ve probably not got to the bottom of yet. Pipe’s Adagio can go well too. He’s a proven course winner that is yet to finish out of the top two from 6 runs over hurdles – the only niggle is the big weight (11-12) he’s got to shoulder. Campround was a tidy winner here last time out in Novice company and prior to that won well at Chepstow. The Hobbs yard are another that do well in the race too. This looks harder though and even though we know he stays further than this, the drop back in trip may just find him out and you worry that he might just get outpaced at a crucial stage. Henderson has No Ordinary Joe in the race and it’s hard to fault his chance having won his last two very well. He’s into a handicap for the first time here and looks well-treated off a mark of 133 – the concern would be his lack of experience in a race as competitive as this and being from Henderson, the value has gone in his price too. Cormier, from the Brian Ellison yard that won this in 2018, is another that can go well, while the Irish won this 12 months ago and have fair chances again with Jesse Evans, Tudor City and Bua Boy. Course winner – Glory And Fortune – is another to note and continues to rise up the ranks – winning his last two, but is another 8lbs higher here. The other two at bigger prices though are BOTOX HAS (e/w) and BALLYANDY (e/w). The last-named has run well in this race before and was a fine second 12 months ago too. He’s no spring chicken at 11, but is rated 8lbs lower than last year so on that form must have an e/w squeak. Botox Has fell on his chasing debut last time at Plumpton, but was a winner over hurdles last October here at Cheltenham and with Niall Houlihan riding to claim 5lbs it would be no shock to see him bounce back.
