Those who love horse racing are familiar with the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle. This is a prestigious race for handicappers and it is held each year at the Greatwood Racecourse in Kent. The race was originally established in the 1930s and has been held every year since. This year it will be held on April 9th. It has been won by a variety of different horses over the years, and it is also the home of the Greatwood Racecourse Festival. This is a popular event with spectators and horse lovers from all over the country.
Runners aged four and over will be able to take part in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, a two and a half mile contest on the Old Course at Cheltenham. This is a class one premier handicap.
The race was introduced in 1987, with Celtic Shot the first winner. Since then, horses aged four and over have won nine times, with half of the winners having previously competed at Cheltenham.
The Greatwood Hurdle is held in November each year. The race attracts a strong quality field, and there is a good record for horses aged four and over at the November meeting. Runners are eligible if they have been bred in the UK, Ireland, or America.
Detroit City is a grey owned by Terry Warner. He was foaled in America and has a strong record at the racecourse. He was also a winner in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last season. His last victory came at the 2015 meeting.
Philip Hobbs is in charge of Detroit City. He is looking for a repeat of his Greatwood Handicap Hurdle success. His team is composed of Sanctuaire, who won the Scottish Champion Hurdle last year, and Pateese, who won the Fred Winter at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival.
Detroit City has already beaten rivals on the Flat, with a win in the Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket. He is now 4-1 favourite at Ladbrokes, with Blue Square offering 9-2. He is also a joint favourite at Smurfit Kappa, with Brave Inca at 4-1.
Detroit City, who has been treated for back trouble, could be the first British-trained horse to win this race. He is expected to be well handicapped, and is likely to be ridden by Howard Johnson.
Taking place at Cheltenham on the Open Meeting on Sunday 12th November, the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle is a Grade 3 contest over two miles and a half on the Old Course. The race is open to horses aged four years and over and has been won by Champion Hurdlers Celtic Shot and Rooster Booster.
The winner has finished last season as runner-up in the Betfair Hurdle and County Hurdle over course and distance. A horse at the top of the weights has won five times since the beginning of the century.
The ante-post market for the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle offers plenty of support for Dan Skelton's Proschema, who will be ridden by Tim Murphy. The horse has shown good form on the flat but was heavily backed to score at Wetherby last month.
Another runner to look out for is Nick Williams' runner, James De Vassy, who has shown improvement when winning his first time up this season. He has also had a decent run at the Cheltenham Festival, finishing second to The Pink'n.
The field also includes Countister and Binocular. A horse that has shown a penchant for racing keenly in the past, Edwardstone could be well handicapped.
The last four winners have been from the Pipe stable. Last season, Tom George enjoyed a double at the Cheltenham Festival with Olofi. He has also provided two of the last three winners.
In the past, Harry Skelton has won the race twice. He has also been successful with Olofi and North Hill Harvey. However, he has never been the first to win a race at the winning post.
Despite carrying the weight of 12 stone, I Like To Move It has been crowned the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle winner at Cheltenham. Sam Twiston-Davies's charge was always to the fore during the race, and he proved too strong for all the challengers. He won by five and a half lengths, and is now a hat-trick contender.
The Greatwood Handicap Hurdle was held on the third day of The November Meeting in Cheltenham. This two mile, half furlong Grade 3 contest was omitted from the Supreme Novice Hurdle Trial, but was a major feature on the card. The race is open to horses aged four years and over, with a prize of PS56270 going to the winner.
The race was first run in 1987 under the name of the Greatwood Hurdle. The race was run as a Listed level contest until 2004 when it gained Grade 3 status. In 2014, the race returned to its original name and was sponsored by Unibet.
I Like To Move It has a good record at Prestbury. He was a course and distance winner last year, and will be hoping to repeat the feat in the Grade Two contest at Cheltenham. He is a big price to emulate him, but is well backed.
The Greatwood Handicap Hurdle is the feature race on the third day of the November Meeting in Cheltenham. It is open to horses aged four years and over, and boasts a prize pot of PS100,000. A runner-by-runner guide can be found at Timeform.
The race has attracted some quality entries in recent years. Several of the runners have won at Cheltenham, but only six of the last twelve winners have run in the Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot.
Having missed out on the entire season last year, West Cork has been able to make amends this time around. Owned by Mike and Eileen Newbould, he has won a couple of races this season and looks like he'll be going back over the hurdles in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle on the last day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The race is open to horses four years and older and is a handicap race, with a top weight of 142 pounds. A good form record is likely to make West Cork an attractive bet. However, there are two chasing four timers to watch out for in the race.
Onemorefortheroad has been in good form recently and could make a decent return to form. He's been very progressive in recent times and was beaten just a short head in the Imperial Cup, a mile on the flat, at Kempton Park last November. However, he's got to be wary of a possible newcomer in Playful Saint, who's been untested over hurdles.
The other big name is Mullins' Dads Lad, who won a Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last month. He's won four of his five races in the last year and will be back on the hurdles. He looks like a decent handicap hurdler, who could find himself pushed around by a newcomer.
One more thing to watch out for in the race is Skytastic. He's won four of his five starts in the last year and is the choice of champion trainer Paul Nicholls. He's also in very good form recently and could be a serious threat to West Cork in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.
Amongst the many events held at the Cheltenham racecourse each year is the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, a two mile and half furlong Grade 3 handicap hurdle. The race has been run under various titles over the years and is currently sponsored by the Unibet brand. The race is open to both sexes and is one of the shortest handicap hurdles in the world.
The Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle is a two mile and half furlong Grade 3-tier event that features eight hurdles. It is a handicap event for horses aged four and up. The race is run on the old course at Cheltenham. The prize money is generous and the competition is fierce. Some of the most notable winners include Menorah, Sizing Europe, and Detroit City.
The Greatwood Handicap Hurdle has an interesting history and many a smart performer has made the trip. The race was originally a Listed event, but was given Grade 3 status in 2004. The Greatwood was once known as the Racing Post Hurdle. It is also the oldest horse race in the UK.
The Greatwood Handicap Hurdle is an important event for the connections. Last year's winner West Cork was a close second to Stage Star on his chase debut. Other notables include A Different Kind and current Mood, both of whom are progressive handicappers.
The Unibet Greatwood Handicap Handicap is run over two miles and one and a half furlongs and is open to horses aged four and up. The race is open to both sexes, and has attracted some of the best horses in the country. The horse race of the year, the Greatwood Handicap Handicap is held on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival in November.