Cleeve Hurdle: Runner by runner betting guide
In the final trial for the Stayers Hurdle in March, Crambo will look to back up his win in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle and cement himself as the main hope for the UK in March. But will he be able to back that up, or will Strong Leader be able to bounce back from a dismal display at Ascot? Race info: Level – Grade 2 Distance – 3m Course – New Age – 5yo+ Cleeve Hurdle runners It’s time to see who has the staying power to hold on up the Cheltenham hill. Get the latest odds for the Cleeve Hurdle with the best online horse racing bookmakers here. 2 Crambo Age: 8 Weight: 11st 8lb Form: 3198-1 Rating: 156 Jockey: Jonathan Burke Trainer: Fergal O’Brien Odds: 11/4 Crambo bounced back to form in the Long Walk Hurdle last time, but the question is, will he be as good this time? After his win, trainer Fergal O’Brien stated that Crambo was best when fresh, so, strangely, they decided to come here just 35 days after his latest win. The form of that win took a knock this week when the second Hiddenvally Lake was a well-beaten seventh in the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park on Thursday. That takes some gloss off his win at Ascot, and given that he has only backed up a win once in his career, he has to be taken on. Grade 1 winner Tends not to back up a win Star rating: Bet on Crambo with talkSPORT BET 3 Strong Leader Age: 8 Weight: 11st 8lb Form: 431-10 Rating: 158 Jockey: Sean Bowen Trainer: Olly Murphy Odds: 11/4 Having been sent off the well-backed 11/8 favourite for the Long Walk Hurdle, it was expected that Strong Leader was about to lay down his marker as the best-staying hurdler in the UK, but not all went to plan. He was struggling a long way from home, and eventually, he finished last of the ten runners. That run was too bad to be true, and if you can forgive him that, this unexposed staying hurdler has enough talent in the locker to get his season back on track. The return to a left-handed track is a big plus, and if Strong Leader is on his a-game, he should be hard to beat. Grade 1 winner Return to a left-handed track Unexposed at the trip Bombed out at Ascot Star rating: Bet on Strong Leader with Sky Bet 7 Gowel Road Age: 9 Weight: 11st 2lb Form: 6-2222 Rating: 146 Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies Odds: 4/1 Gowel Road has proven to be Mr Consistant this season, finishing second in all four starts. But even with Gowel Road being in the form of his life this season, he is vulnerable to a Grade 1 horse. It’s hard to see him being good enough to win, but there is every chance he can add another place finish to what has already been an excellent season for this nine-year-old. He will run his race but may find one or two too good. In the form of his life Likes it at Cheltenham Vulnerable to a Grade 1 horse Star rating: Bet on Gowel Road with Paddy Power 4 Monmiral Age: 8 Weight: 11st 6lb Form: 415-32 Rating: 146 Jockey: Harry Cobden Trainer: Paul Nicholls Odds: 9/1 Last season’s Pertemps Hurdle winner has a bit to find with Stong Leader from their clash at Newbury in November. He was well beaten at Newbury, and on the same terms here, it’s hard to see him getting closer to Strong Leader. They may have eyes set on another crack at the Pertemps, so he may blow away the cobwebs on the back of a 57-day break, hoping that the handicapper eases his mark for March. Course winning form Has it to find to finish ahead of Strong Leader Star rating: Bet on Monmiral with Midnite 6 Ga Law Age: 9 Weight: 11st 2lb Form: P2-229 Rating: 144 Jockey: Gavin Sheehan Trainer: Jamie Snowden Odds: 11/1 Ga Law has become somewhat of a handicap chase specialist, having two wins and place finishes in some of the top premier handicaps. But with that comes the problem of creeping up in the weights and being unable to cut it in top-graded races. So now trainer Jamie Snowden has taken his chance by sending Ga Law back over hurdles for the first time since November 2023, and only the third time in his career. This decision may not be a bad move, considering that many of his rivals today have many questions to answer. It will be interesting to see how he gets on, and he could grab a place if he can convert his chase form over hurdles. His best runs have come at his track First run over hurdles since 2022 Star rating: Bet on Ga Law with talkSPORT BET 1 Botox Has Age: 9 Weight: 11st 8lb Form: 1P5-08 Rating: 144 Jockey: Caoilin Quinn Trainer: Gary & Josh Moore Odds: 12/1 Botox Has has been a seven-time winner over hurdles, but recently, he has found it hard to keep up at this level. He started the season with a below-par run in a Pertemps qualifier and didn’t fair much
In the final trial for the Stayers Hurdle in March, Crambo will look to back up his win in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle and cement himself as the main hope for the UK in March.
But will he be able to back that up, or will Strong Leader be able to bounce back from a dismal display at Ascot?
Race info:
- Level – Grade 2
- Distance – 3m
- Course – New
- Age – 5yo+
Cleeve Hurdle runners
It’s time to see who has the staying power to hold on up the Cheltenham hill. Get the latest odds for the Cleeve Hurdle with the best online horse racing bookmakers here.
