The 2025 edition of the Cheltenham November Meeting draws to a close on Sunday afternoon. Taking top billing on another excellent card from the Prestbury Park venue is the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.
Held over 2m½f, this £100,000 event invariably attracts runners with the potential to progress beyond handicap company. The past three winners – I Like To Move It, Iberico Lord, and Burdett Road – all went on to compete in the Champion Hurdle.
Following the injury to State Man, the 2m hurdling division has opened up slightly. Perhaps another Champion Hurdle contender will emerge from the latest renewal. Leaving future plans to one side, the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle is an excellent race to win in its own right. With the final field confirmed, we have a bumper field of 20 set to go to post, headed by a runner from the yard of title-chasing Dan Skelton.
Mirabad Moves to the Top of the Market
Dan Skelton won his first Greatwood Handicap Hurdle with North Hill Harvey back in 2016 and landed the prize for a second time with West Cork in 2021. Each of those winners was ridden by Harry Skelton. This year, the brothers team up with the ex-Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole-trained Mirabad.
Originally based in France, this son of 2,000 Guineas winner Gleneagles won twice on the flat for Mikel Delzangles. Following his switch to the UK, Mirabad adjusted well to life over hurdles. He won three times for Newland & Insole and only finished outside the first three twice in eight starts. His final effort of 2024/25 was disappointing as he faded tamely to finish tenth at Newbury. However, setting a frenetic pace on soft ground was never likely to end well that day. Back on a sounder surface and making his first start since a recent wind operation, he could go close on his debut for Skelton.
O’Brien Runner a Serious Threat
Having saddled the talented Dysart Enos to finish third in 2024, Fergal O’Brien returns for another crack at the prize. Flying the flag for the Gloucestershire handler this time around is the five-year-old gelding Serious Challenge.
Lovely photo of John Barbour and Serious challenge @Southwell_Races yesterday
Thank you @under_orders pic.twitter.com/8a7rqch2HM
— Fergal O’Brien Racing (@FOBRacing) April 16, 2025
Like Mirabad, Serious Challenge began life as a flat performer – winning once and finishing placed three times in Listed company to reach a rating of 102. Relocating to Withington at the start of 2025, he has won three of six starts for O’Brien. Successful on ground ranging from heavy to good, he shouldn’t mind whatever the weather has in store and is fit and well following a comeback fourth at Aintree.
Alexei to Sale to Success for Tizzard
Colin Tizzard didn’t win this race during his career, and so far, his son, Joe, has yet to hit the target. The Brocade Racing-owned Alexei bids to end the Tizzards’ long wait in 2025. Continuing the theme of ex-flat runners, Alexei took his first racing steps in Germany, picking up wins at Hoppegarten and Baden-Baden before joining Tizzard in November 2024.
Alexei wins the Lavazza Handicap Hurdle under @brendanp1995 for @TizzardRacing pic.twitter.com/pACiRo47k9
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) November 1, 2025
The son of Tai Chi immediately looked a natural over hurdles, winning his first two starts by a combined 32½ lengths. The Listed trustatrader.com Novices’ Hurdle at Exeter then proved a step too far and preceded a similar flop at Newbury. Given a break after those efforts, the early evidence of 2025 suggests he’s firmly back on track. He returned with an encouraging second at Chepstow in the Welsh Champion Hurdle and backed it up with a smooth win at Ascot. He’s up 7lb for that but may have further improvement to come.
Iberico Lord Out to Make History
Since making its debut in 1987, no horse has won the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle on more than one occasion. That may change in 2025 if Nicky Henderson’s 2023 champ, Iberico Lord, can bounce back to form.
Looking back at that 2023 edition, Iberico Lord was very nicely handicapped off a mark of 126. Two starts later he won the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury off 134 to climb to a rating of 143. He then rounded off 2023/24 with a pulled-up effort in the Champion Hurdle. Since then, not much has gone right for the JP McManus-owned runner.
Hinting at a productive chasing career with a win at Kempton, he was switched back to hurdles following a heavy fall at Ascot. However, the peak Iberico Lord was nowhere to be seen in three successive 20+ length defeats at Windsor, Newbury, and Punchestown. He’s back down to 139 and likes the course and distance, but this talented sort comes with significant risks attached.
Others to note in a typically competitive renewal include Welsh Champion Hurdle winner Celtic Dino, Tom Lacey’s Gibbs Island, who won well at the same Chepstow fixture, and the sole Irish raider, Putapoundinthejar.
