TimeformBlog

The Open Meeting at Cheltenham this weekend runs to three days, with the highlight on the Sunday being the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle. Timeform look at the main protagonists...


Rewind a year and Khyber Kim was heading to Prestbury Park as a relatively unconsidered (not in Timeform Horses to Follow Extra, by the way) 20/1 shot for the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at the Open Meeting at Cheltenham.

Come the day, however, Nigel Twiston-Davies' Khyber Kim (9/1) wasn't for beating and ran out an impressive two-length winner. Khyber Kim returned to Cheltenham a month later to land the International (beat Celestial Halo), before going on to finish second in the Champion Hurdle in March, beaten 3½ lengths by Binocular.

The Greatwood has a mixed record as a Champion trial in recent years, however. In the last ten seasons, only Rooster Booster (2002/3) has won the Greatwood and gone on to complete double, but Accordion Etoile finished fourth at the Festival in 2005 and Sizing Europe was sent off a strong Champion favourite when flopping in 2008.

Looking through this year's Greatwood entries, there is only a select band which could be considered as likely to make up into genuine Champion Hurdle contenders, and they're probably the ones to concentrate on. Philip Hobbs, who has been responsible for recent Greatwood winners Rooster Booster and Detroit City, must be tempted to run his Elite Hurdle winner Nearby 17.0. It is admittedly a quick turnaround from Wincanton on Saturday, but he's been a revelation this season and left the impression he's got more in the locker, so for all Cheltenham hasn't been his track in the past, he's well worth a go, well treated under a penalty and seeing things out all the stronger these days. The tougher opposition and more testing conditions are potential negatives, though.

Philip Hobbs also has another interesting contender, however, in the shape of last year's top novice Menorah 9.0. The winner of the Supreme (beat Get Me Out of Here) at the Festival last season, connections obviously hold high hopes that Menorah, who also has the option of going chasing this campaign, can make the transition to Champion Hurdle contender, and Sunday will very much be testing the water in that regard, set to carry top-weight from a mark of 151. Get Me Out of Here 8.8 is himself towards the head of the market and rightly so, having caught the eye on his reappearance in a handicap at Ascot. Last season's totesport Trophy winner travelled smoothly for a long way but ultimately seemed to need the run. Jonjo O'Neill's gelding, whose only defeat last season was that aforementioned one against Menorah, should be spot on for Sunday, can race from the same mark as at Ascot and is very high on the shortlist.

Nicky Henderson's General Miller 9.6 beat Menorah when Philip Hobbs' Supreme winner ran at Aintree the following month, but the feeling is that he was at an advantage having arrived at Liverpool a fresh horse and Menorah should be able to turn the tables again on Sunday, for all he has to concede him 5 lb.

The current market leader Sanctuaire 6.6 is still unexposed, and there is reason to think he could make up into a top-class hurdler. Successful on his first two starts in Britain last season after brought over from France, including when bolting up in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham, Paul Nicholls' Sanctuaire also shaped like much the best horse when only third at Aintree next time, pulling too hard for his own good and probably not over his Prestbury Park exertions. A mark of 146 is harsh on what he has actually achieved, but he looks one of the brightest hurdling prospects for this season and that mightn't be the case come Sunday.

The other interesting contender is Alan King's Manyriverstocross 8.2. A useful Flat horse, Manyriverstocross took to hurdling well last season, winning a maiden at Chepstow on his debut and a Grade 2 novice at Sandown before Christmas. In three subsequent starts, third (in the totesport Trophy) was the best he could manage, but at Cheltenham on his final start he shaped much better than the bare result when seventh in the Baring Bingham, badly hampered and doing well to get back into contention at all. Still unexposed over hurdles, the test provided by Cheltenham's two miles should be right up his street (suited by further) and he makes plenty of appeal.

To summarise, Sanctuaire has plenty of potential, as does fellow second-season hurdler Get Me Out of Here, who can reverse placings with Supreme winner Menorah, but the one who is most interesting from a form perspective is Manyriverstocross, who is well handicapped and should be suited by the test that the race/track provides.


(read more at betting.betfair.com)