Greatwood Hurdle

The Greatwood Hurdle is the first big two-mile handicap hurdle of the National Hunt season.

The Greatwood Hurdle is held on Sunday 12th November 2023.

The race was first run in 1987 when it was won by subsequent Champion Hurdle winner Celtic Shot.

Rooster Booster (2002) also won both races while other notable winners include Detroit City (2006), Sizing Europe (2007) and Khyber Kim (2009).

Find out more about The Greatwood Hurdle:

Greatwood Hurdle

Race Overview – The Greatwood Hurdle

Horses four years old and older may enter the Greatwood Hurdle, a Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle race. There are eight hurdles to clear throughout the race, which is held on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of around 2 miles and a half (2 miles and 87 yards, or 3,298 metres).

It is a handicap race that is slated to happen in November each year.

Greatwood Hurdle 2023 Odds

The Greatwood Hurdle odds are listed below:

2.55 Cheltenham (Race 5) - BOG
  • Date: Saturday 12th of November 2022
  • Time: 14:55
  • Details: 10 Runners Handicap Hurdle Hurdle 2m 7f 208y
3 Shearer
3/1
8 Padleyourowncanoe
9/2
1 On The Blind Side
15/2
7 Sidi Ismael
10/1
10 Fontana Ellissi
11/1
6 Annual Invictus
12/1
13 Valentino
16/1
5 Zoffanien
25/1
11 Ernesto
28/1
9 Forecast
50/1

Greatwood Hurdle 2023 Tips

The Greatwood Hurdle tips are below:

2 points to win for TBC at odds of TBC
1 point each way for TBC at odds of TBC

Many Greatwood Hurdle horses will race in more races throughout the years. Stay updated on the horses and place ante-post bets if you want to wager on them.

Greatwood Hurdle Previous Winners

Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer
1987Celtic Shot510-06Peter ScudamoreFred Winter
1988South Parade411-00Graham BradleyToby Balding
1989Highland Bounty510-04Stuart TurnerSimon Dow
1990Liadett511-10Mark PerrettMartin Pipe
1991Shu Fly711-01Steve Smith EcclesSally Oliver
1992Valfinet510-09Peter ScudamoreMartin Pipe
1993Leotard612-00Jamie OsborneOliver Sherwood
1994Atours611-05Paul HolleyDavid Elsworth
1995Lonesome Train609-09Barry FentonColin Weedon
1996Space Trucker511-11Jamie OsborneJessica Harrington
1997Mr Percy610-09Philip HideJosh Gifford
1998Grey Shot611-05Jamie OsborneIan Balding
1999Rodock510-00Tony McCoyMartin Pipe
2000Hulysse Royal510-00Jimmy McCarthyOliver Sherwood
2001Westender510–13Tony McCoyMartin Pipe
2002Rooster Booster811–12Seamus DurackPhilip Hobbs
2003Rigmarole511–12Ruby WalshPaul Nicholls
2004Accordion Etoile510-06John CullenPaul Nolan
2005Lingo610-06Tony McCoyJonjo O'Neill
2006Detroit City411–12Richard JohnsonPhilip Hobbs
2007Sizing Europe511-06Timmy MurphyHenry de Bromhead
2008Numide510-03Jamie MooreGary L. Moore
2009Khyber Kim711-09Paddy BrennanNigel Twiston-Davies
2010Menorah511–12Richard JohnsonPhilip Hobbs
2011Brampour411-04Harry DerhamPaul Nicholls
2012Olofi610–11Paddy BrennanTom George
2013Dell' Arca410-05Tom ScudamoreDavid Pipe
2014Garde La Victoire511-09Richard JohnsonPhilip Hobbs
2015Old Guard410-10Harry CobdenPaul Nicholls
2016North Hill Harvey511-00Harry SkeltonDan Skelton
2017Elgin510-08Wayne HutchinsonAlan King
2018Nietzsche509-07Danny McMenaminBrian Ellison
2019Harambe611-00Tom BellamyAlan King
2020The Shunter710-00Robbie PowerEmmet Mullins
2021West Cork710-13Harry SkeltonDan Skelton
2021I Like To Move It512-00Sam Twiston-DaviesNigel Twiston-Davies

Greatwood Hurdle Previous Result

Famous Greatwood Hurdle Winners

Celtic Shot helped to establish this race by winning the inaugural running in 1987 for Fred Winter and Peter Scudamore. He won the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 1988. 2002 winner Rooster Booster defied 11st 12lbs and also went on to win the Champion for Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson.

Triumph Hurdle winner Detroit City won for the same combination under an identical weight in 2006. The versatile performer also won the Cesarewitch Handicap on the flat at Newmarket. The following year the race was won by Sizing Europe, trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Timmy Murphy. He won the Irish Champion Hurdle in 2008 and went on to a glorious career over fences, highlighted by his Queen Mother Champion Chase win in 2011.

Khyber Kim was another high-class winner in 2009 for Nigel Twiston-Davies. He won the International Hurdle on his next start before finishing second to Binocular in the Champion Hurdle.

Compensation came with a 5 lengths victory in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle.

Key Greatwood Hurdle Trials

There are no outstanding trials for this race but it always attracts a high-quality field.

Around half of recent winners were having their first outing of the season and had already won at Cheltenham in the past.

Six of the last twelve winners ran in the Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot next time out but all were beaten.

Three ran in the International Hurdle with Menorah (2010) and Old Guard (2015) winning both races.

Greatwood Hurdle Betting Trends

The Greatwood Hurdle has proved to be a minefield for punters with no winning favourite since Detroit City in 2006.

Long-priced winners include Nietzche (2018) at 20-1 and Harambe (2019) at 16-1. Brampour (2011), Dell ‘Arca (2013) and Old Guard (2015) all started at 12-1.

Horses aged four to six years have the best record in this race. I Like To Move It (2022) was the second horse to defy 12 stone following Leotard in 1993.

Others to defy big weights include Rooster Booster (2002), Detroit City (2006) and Menorah (2010) who all carried 11st 12lbs to victory.

Official ratings of the winners over the past twelve seasons vary between 128 (The Shunter 2020) and 151 (Menorah 2010).

Greatwood Hurdle – Top Trainers and Jockeys

Martin Pipe and Philip Hobbs share the honours as leading trainer in the Greatwood Hurdle with four apiece.

Paul Nicholls has won it three times while Alan King, Dan Skelton and Nigel Twiston-Davies have all won it twice.

Jamie Osborne, Richard Johnson and Tony McCoy all won this race three times.

Harry Skelton is the only jockey to win this race twice in the past twelve seasons.

Betting on the Greatwood Hurdle

The Greatwood Hurdle is always a very competitive betting heat.

The horses at the top of the handicap are often bordering on Champion Hurdle class. It is certainly a race to follow the form with confidence as it always produces plenty of future winners.

Greatwood Hurdle Facts

  • The Greatwood Hurdle is a National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older.
  • It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse over a distance of 3 miles and 110 yards (4,907 metres), and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped.
  • The event is currently sponsored by JLT Group.
  • The race was first run in 1960, and it was won by the five-year-old gelding, Mandarin.
  • The Greatwood Hurdle is currently the only Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle race in the United Kingdom which is open to four-year-old horses.
  • The race was promoted to Grade 3 status in 2006.

Popular Questions

When is the Greatwood Hurdle?

The Greatwood Hurdle is held on Sunday 13th November 2023 at 2:55 pm.

The 14:55 race is taking place at Cheltenham Racecourse.

What are important facts about Greatwood Hurdle?

Here are some important facts about Greatwood Hurdle:

  • The Greatwood Hurdle is run at Cheltenham Racecourse, Great Britain
  • The Greatwood Hurdle is for horses aged 4 and over
  • The Greatwood Hurdle is a National Hunt Hurdle race in Great Britain
  • The Greatwood Hurdle distance is 2 miles and half a furlong

Summary of the Greatwood Hurdle

Thank you for reading our Greatwood Hurdle guide.

We have looked at facts and figures of previous winners, as well as a look at this year’s race. It is one of the most competitive and high-class races of the hurdling season.

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As the Founder of British Racecourses, I have a life-long passion for horse racing and have loved the sport as long as I can remember. I am also a keen racehorse owner and have worked in the gambling industry for several years. I set up British Racecourses with the desire to share my passion for racing with other like-minded people.