Sunday’s highlight at The November Meeting, the £80,000 G3 Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (3.00pm, 2m 87y), has attracted 18 runners at today’s final declaration stage.
The 11/2 joint-favourites with Unibet are Edwardstone (Alan King/Tom Cannon), who will be making his first appearance since finishing sixth in the G1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at The Festival™, and Proschema (Dan Skelton/Harry Skelton), a classy performer on the Flat when with Tom Dascombe and an encouraging second on his return to action at Wetherby last month.
Edwardstone’s trainer Alan King is also responsible for last year’s winner Harambe (Tom Bellamy), who will be attempting to become the race’s first dual winner.
Ed Nicholson, Head of Kindred Racing Communications & Sponsorship, said: “Unibet reaches the 1,000 sponsored-race landmark on Sunday, and it is a privilege to sponsor the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle once again.
“The Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle is the third race in the Unibet Road to Cheltenham series of six races, a series which culminates with the Unibet Champion Hurdle itself in March.
“This year’s renewal of the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle is one of the most competitive we have seen and we are going 11/2 the field.
“Such is the appeal of this race to trainers, that you wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a horse enter the Unibet Champion Hurdle picture itself following Sunday’s race.”
Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, Unibet odds:
11/2 Edwardstone, Proschema
13/2 Thyme White
9/1 Sebastopol
10/1 Tegerek
12/1 Hunters Call
14/1 Ballyandy, Harambe
14/1 Strong Glance, Countister, The Shunter
16/1 Sir Psycho, Thinking
18/1 Cormier
20/1 Milkwood
22/1 Pisgah Pike
25/1 Ballinsker
28/1 Tudor City
Sunday’s six-race programme also includes the £60,000 G2 Shloer Chase (2.25pm, six runners, 2m).
Defi du Seuil (Philip Hobbs/Richard Johnson), winner of the 2017 G1 JCB Triumph Hurdle and 2019 G1 Marsh Novices’ Chase at The Festival™, was impressive when winning the 2019 Shloer Chase. However, he needs to bounce back from a disappointing effort when only fourth of five in the 2020 G1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.
His chief rival on Sunday looks to be Irish challenger Put The Kettle On (Henry de Bromhead/Aidan Coleman). The six-year-old mare is undefeated in two starts over Sunday’s course and distance, most recently when taking the G1 Arkle Novices’ Chase at The Festival™ in March.
