Cleeve Hurdle Odds
The betting for the Cleeve Hurdle is always popular on trials day at Cheltenham with the best in the division clashing at the Prestbury Park venue. The betting for the race will be here when available...
Cleeve Hurdle Tips
You can check out our Cleeve Hurdle tips here...
What is the Cleeve Hurdle?
The Cleeve Hurdle is a Grade Two race run over a trip of three miles at Cheltenham racecourse each January. The race takes place on Cheltenham Festival trials day and acts as a key pointer towards the Stayers' Hurdle during the four-day meeting in March which means it is one of the key races on the calendar.
There are twelve hurdles to be jumped in total on the New Course at the Gloucestershire venue with the race tending to attract a host of top class runners each season with trainers looking to get some experience into their contenders ahead of the Festival.
A number of winners have gone onto achieve glory in the Stayers' Hurdle the same season and we will be watching the race closely again this term to see if there is a horse to follow that trend.
What happened in the 2024 Cleeve Hurdle?
2022 Grand National winner NOBLE YEATS just about held off the gallant veteran Paisley Park in a pulsating renewal of the Cleeve Hurdle in early 2024. The race elicited a sensational roar from the Cheltenham crowd and it was one of the races of the season.
The history of the Cleeve Hurdle
First run in 1983, the Cleeve Hurdle has grown into one of the key races of the entire season for the staying hurdlers having been won by some legendary names.
Having initially been a listed contest, the Cleeve was promoted to Grade One level in 1991 before being dropped back to a Grade Two, where it has remained ever since, in 2004.
The race has grown in prestige as the Stayers' Hurdle has at the Cheltenham Festival with the two races taking place just a matter of weeks apart, with the Cleeve now the premier trial. What we can expect in the race is testing ground with its end of January position on the calendar always susceptible to rain and cold weather.
Who is the most iconic winner of the Cleeve Hurdle?
We have seen some fantastic names win the Cleeve Hurdle down the years with Lady Rebecca one that immediately pops to mind thanks to her three wins in the race, while Inglis Drever and Thistlecrack are two others worthy of a mention in this category. There is no doubt though that it is Big Buck's who sits top of the tree as the most iconic winner of the Cleeve Hurdle. The Paul Nicholls trained legend won this race twice during a golden career which would see him win the Stayers' Hurdle no less than four times with the ditcheat star unbeatable at his best.
Are there any trials for the Cleeve Hurdle?
There is a clear and planned out programme for the staying hurdler division in the UK and that includes the Cleeve Hurdle at cheltenham.
Punters looking to get an idea about potential Cleeve runners have two clear options to study before Christmas with the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and the JLT Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot the two races to watch closely. Any horse that performs well i either of those two contests would well head to Cheltenham for the Cleeve on trials Day before returning to Prestbury Park for a crack at the big Stayers' Hurdle in the spring.
Who is the most successful jockey in the Cleeve Hurdle?
Norman Williamson is the jockey with the most wins in the Cleeve Hurdle with four wins on his excellent CV. Williamson won the contest on Mudahim (1995) and Lady Rebecca (1999, 2000 + 2001) during a golden six-year period of his brilliant riding career.
Who is the most successful trainer in the Cleeve Hurdle?
We have two trainers on top of the Cleeve Hurdle tree with Venetia Williams and Paul Nicholls currently sharing the record with three wins apiece. Williams won the race with Lady Rebecca (1999, 2000 + 2001) while Nicholls has scored with Big Buck's (2009 + 2011) and Saphir Du Rheu (2015).