Greatwood Hurdle Betting Tips, Winners & History

Next Race: TBD

The next renewal of this race has not been scheduled yet. We will update this once the schedule has been released for next season. The race info, trends and tips shown below will be updated for the next renewal once the final declarations have been made.

Greatwood Hurdle Betting Tips

Note: The following tips are from 2020. Tips for the next renewal will be added once the final declarations have been made.

Martin Pipe and Philip Hobbs are the joint leaders in the trainers’ table for this event with four wins apiece. With Pipe now retired, and Hobbs not holding an entry this year, three time winner Paul Nicholls boasts the best record of the trainers who are on show. Sir Psycho and Thyme White fly the flag for the Nicholls operation this year.

The younger performers have held a definite edge in this race of late, with each of the past 10 renewals having been landed by a runner aged six or younger – a stat which speaks against the seven runners aged seven or older in this year’s field.

Often an open and tricky race to call, the past 10 years have seen seven winners return a double figure SP, and a grand total of zero winning favourites.

Proschema – 11/2

Formerly based at the Paul Nicholls yard, Dan Skelton seems to have learnt a little about what it takes to win this race having saddled North Hill Harvey to victory in 2016. The Warwickshire-based trainer will likely be optimistic about moving a step closer to his former boss this year, as it is his sole entry Proschema who currently heads the betting in most lists.

A number of Skelton’s biggest career successes to date have come in classy handicap contests such as this, and he may well have unearthed another likely contender in the shape of this 105-rated flat performer. Two from four over hurdles since joining the yard, he was viewed as something of a work in progress last season, but prior to the current campaign was already being mentioned as a likely sort for some of the major races in the Spring. If he is to live up to those ambitions, then he really ought to be up to at least going close here from a mark of 131.

There was certainly plenty of encouragement to be taken from his comeback effort at Warwick last time out when travelling like the best horse in the race only to tire close home. Considering that was his first outing in the best part of a year, it is reasonable to expect him to strip fitter for what will be his major early season target. The fact that Skelton has his string in fine fettle at present – striking on the opening day of this meeting with Protektorat – also augurs well for his chances.

Edwardstone – 13/2

It took a while for Alan King to strike in this race, with the Barbury Castle-based trainer not landing this prize until taking the 2017 edition with Elgin. He didn’t have to wait for quite so long for his second success though having saddled Harambe to victory in the race 12 months ago. Given that recent record, anything King sends to post is well worth a second look in the market, and this year he relies upon the six year old Kayf Tara gelding, Edwardstone.

Having last been sighted in the Grade 1 Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, this one will be taking a significant drop in class here. He did manage only a well-beaten sixth in that Cheltenham contest, but that still means he beat nine of the most promising novice hurdlers in the game which was a rock solid effort, especially as his yard was under something of a cloud at the time.

His efforts from earlier last season also catch the eye. Edwardstone had both Harry Senior and Fiddlerontheroof in behind when landing back to back contests at Wincanton and Aintree, and with each of those runners having since gone on to score at Grade 2 level and above, there are strong reasons to believe that a handicap mark of 142 may underestimate him. With Tom Cannon in the saddle, he looks set to go well.

Thyme White - 13/2

In common with former protégé Dan Skelton, Paul Nicholls has also been amongst the winners already this week. That’s no real surprise really as the Nicholls operation has been in flying form of late – operating at a 38% strike rate across the past 14 days at the time of writing. All of which suggests that Nicholls two entries, Sir Psycho and Thyme White are well worthy of consideration in this.

Already a three time winner over hurdles – from only seven starts – Sir Psycho certainly isn’t dismissed, but if judged on the market and jockey bookings, it would look to be the four year old, Thyme White who represents Nicholls’ biggest chance of success. As one of the youngest runners in the field, this one is more open to improvement than most – always a big plus in a tight handicap such as this – but does also already boast some impressive form in the book.

A little up and down last season, when reportedly still a little weak, he put in his best effort yet on his seasonal return at Chepstow in October when cruising clear for a three length success. This race was mentioned as the next target in the immediate aftermath of that and getting in off a mark of 141, he looks a major player under Harry Cobden.