Cleeve Hurdle Preview, Tips, Runners & Trends (Festival Trials Day)

2025 Cleeve Hurdle Preview

Established in 1983, this Grade 2 hurdle is scheduled to take place in January of each year at the Cheltenham racecourse is the Cleeve Hurdle, it is run over a trip of just shy of three miles and is open to runners who are aged five or older.

The race takes place on trials day before the festival and serves as a trial for the Stayers Hurdle, Paisley Park (2019) was the last runner to win this race and then go on to win the Stayers Hurdles next time out, a feat also achieved by Thistlecrack (2016), Big Bucks (2012 & 2009) and also Inglis Drever (2008) over the past twenty years.

Cleeve Hurdle Information:

• Cleeve Hurdle Past Winners
• Cleeve Hurdle Trainer Statistics
• Cleeve Hurdle Jockey Statistics

To see which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are tipping throughout the card that includes this race, head over to the Cheltenham tips on the day of the race, do they agree with the runners on the trend shortlist or are they predicting other runners? You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information, head down to the Other Principal Races at Cheltenham Racecourse section for links to these.

How competitive is the Cleeve Hurdle market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2022 when the race had an over-round of 108%. The race in 2020 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 125%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Cleeve Hurdle, the over-round has been 115%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £115 which is bet.

Cleeve Hurdle Trends:

• 2025 Cleeve Hurdle Trends
• Cleeve Hurdle Trend Analysis

Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? From the past 20 if you had followed the winner of the Cleeve Hurdle next time out then you would have backed a total of 5 winners. Backing all 19 runners who have been out since to win at SP next time out, would have returned an LSP of -3.41. Remember to bookmark the racing tips page so you can get easy access to the OLBG racing picks daily.

The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2009 renewal when Big Bucks from Paul Nicholls under the guidance of R Walsh, won in a time of 6:39.18, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Crystal DAinay, trained by Alan King and ridden by Jimmy McCarthy set the quickest time of 5:00.90 in the 2004 renewal.

These are the top three quickest-run Cleeve Hurdle over the last 20 renewals:

1. Crystal DAinay (5:00.90) in 2004
2. Noble Yeats (5:06.56) in 2024
3. Fire Dragon (5:54.20) in 2006

Cleeve Hurdle Past Winners

Here are the Cleeve Hurdle past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won along with the age & weight of the horse. The trainer of the horse at the time of winning the Cleeve Hurdle as well as the jockey is also displayed along with the starting price the horse was sent off.

Where have the winning runners come from?

Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Cleeve Hurdle have been based:

• GB: 18 winners with an additional 31 placings from 170 runners
• IRE: 1 winner with an additional 1 placing from 7 runners
• FR: 1 winner with an additional 0 placings from 4 runners

Cleeve Hurdle Trainer Statistics

There are two leading trainers in the Cleeve Hurdle over the last 20 renewals with both Paul Nicholls and Emma Lavelle who have both won the race three times. Paul Nicholls winners have been with Big Bucks (2009 & 2012) and Saphir Du Rheu (2015). Emma Lavelle winners have been with Paisley Park (2019, 2020 & 2022). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Cleeve Hurdle are Alan King (2 wins) and Nick Williams (2 wins). There is one trainer who has not had the best of times in the Cleeve Hurdle, Nigel Twiston-Davies has sent a total of 11 runners to the race without recording any wins.

Here are some of the top Cleeve Hurdle trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):

Cleeve Hurdle Jockey Statistics

The leading jockey in the Cleeve Hurdle over the last 20 renewals is Aidan Coleman who has won the race three times with those three winners coming from Paisley Park (2019, 2020 & 2022). There is one jockey who has not had the best of times in the Cleeve Hurdle, Paddy Brennan has ridden a total of 10 runners to the race without recording any wins.

Here are some of the top Cleeve Hurdle jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):

2025 Cleeve Hurdle Trends

Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 1, 4, 2, 5, 1, 2, PU, 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 1, 1, PU, 1, 1, 2, 3, 2

The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones as you would expect them to do well.

• 20 / 20 (71%) - No bigger than 10/1 (LTO)
• 20 / 20 (72%) - Not on GD/STD (Last Win)
• 20 / 20 (77%) - Within the first 7 of the market
• 20 / 20 (86%) - Beaten no more -20l (LTO)
• 20 / 20 (86%) - Furthest ran 2m6f - 4m2½f
• 20 / 20 (87%) - Achieved an RPR of 137+ (Season)
• 20 / 20 (87%) - Not in a G3/Cl4-5 (Last Win)
• 20 / 20 (88%) - Made 2 - 8 starts (1 Year)
• 20 / 20 (88%) - No more than +4yrs (Vs Min Age)
• 20 / 20 (89%) - Not BR/CH in colour
• 20 / 20 (89%) - Made 1 - 3 starts (90 Days)
• 19 / 20 (73%) - Placed within last 2 starts
• 19 / 20 (80%) - No bigger than 8/1 (Last Win)
• 19 / 20 (83%) - Won within last 6 starts
• 18 / 20 (54%) - No bigger than 14/1

Remember to use the trends listed above along with the Cheltenham racing predictions to see if you can find the winner of the Cleeve Hurdle. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles like How to Find Winners - 101 Tips to Choose A Winning Horse Racing Bet.

Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, It is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Cleeve Hurdle by adding a tip on the race here.

Cleeve Hurdle Trend Analysis

The trend factor which had produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +68.88 is when runners ran on Good To Soft ground when last winning. The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners ran on Good ground when last winning, when backing these the trend shows a record of 0-50.

The course which has produced the most winners of the Cleeve Hurdle is Ascot, there has been a total number of 7 winners of this race who ran at Ascot last time out. The next best course which has produced the second most winners is Cheltenham, there has been a total number of 4 winners of this race who ran at Cheltenham last time out.

The race is open to both sexes with the Male runners having produced a total of 20 winners from a total of 176 runners whilst the Female runners have produced 0 winners from a total of 5 runners.

Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Cleeve Hurdle:

• Oscar (3 Wins)
• Cadoudal (2 Wins)

These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Cleeve Hurdle despite multiple attempts:

• Apple Tree (0 Wins from 5 runners)
• Kings Theatre (0 Wins from 5 runners)

Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Knockara Beau in 2014, winning for George Charlton at odds of 66/1 under the guidance of Jan Faltejsek. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals there have been 9 winning favourites in the race. Whilst we wait for the 2025 Cleeve Hurdle remember you can get daily racing predictions from the top racing tipsters on the best racing tipsters page.

Other Principal races at Cheltenham racecourse

Here are some other notable races at the Cheltenham racecourse throughout the racing season that you may be interested in.

Races in January (Festival Trials Day)

• Cheltenham Trophy Handicap Chase
• Classic Novices Hurdle
• Cotswold Chase
• Finesse Juvenile Novices Hurdle
• International Hurdle
• Timeform Novices Handicap Chase

Races in January

• Cheltenham New Years Day Handicap Chase

Races in March (Cheltenham Festival)

• Arkle Challenge Trophy
• Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
• Champion Hurdle
• Close Brothers Mares Hurdle
• National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup
• Supreme Novices Hurdle
• Ultima Handicap Chase
• Ballymore Novices Hurdle
• Brown Advisory Novices Chase
• Champion Bumper
• Coral Cup
• Cross Country Chase
• Johnny Henderson Grand Annual
• Queen Mother Champion Chase
• Festival Plate
• Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup
• Mares Novices Hurdle
• Pertemps Network Final
• Ryanair Chase
• Stayers Hurdle
• Turners Novices Chase
• Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle
• Cheltenham Gold Cup
• County Handicap Hurdle
• Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup
• Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle
• Mrs Paddy Power Mares Chase
• Triumph Hurdle

Races in April

• Silver Trophy Chase

Races in October

• Sharp Novices Hurdle

Races in November (November Meeting)

• Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase
• Hyde Novices Hurdle
• Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices Chase
• JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle
• Paddy Power Gold Cup
• Greatwood Hurdle
• Jewson Premier Handicap Chase
• Shloer Chase

Races in December (Christmas Meeting)

• Crystal Cup Cross Country Chase
• Bristol Novices Hurdle
• Dahlbury Handicap Chase
• December Gold Cup