Horse racing betting: Greatwood Hurdle

The Greatwood Hurdle has been won by many champion hurdle prospects in the last decade with Rooster Booster, Detroit City and Westender all taking this event in the last few years. A similar level of form will be needed again to take the Greatwood Hurdle once more, and the ante-post prices about the winner for the Festival should be perused after the race. Detroit City, Rigmarole and Rooster Booster all tasted success off top-weight and David Pipe's Osana will be hoping that class tells for a fourth time in the last five years. Set to carry 11st 12lbs, the five-year-old put up an impressive effort at the Grand National meeting on his last start when two-and-a-half lengths second to Blythe Knight. It was a striking performance in that he looked like he could do with further and with the punishing Cheltenham hill taking some climbing on Friday, that extra stamina could be useful. Chivalry and Poquelin have been touted as Champion Hurdle prospects this season and the pair clashed at Wincanton eight days ago with the former finishing a short head in front. The race was actually won by Kings Quay with Chivalry in second and Poquelin in third, but both Kings Quay and Chivalry mistook a path for the winning post around 25 yards from the finish and did well to hold off Poquelin. On the same terms for this race, Chivalry can continue his rise up the rankings and can hold off Paul Nicholls' highly-touted four-year-old. One to watch in the horse racing betting. One to keep an eye on though is Tony McCoy's ride, Mountain. Placed on the flat behind the likes of Dylan Thomas and Short Skirt, the son of Montjeu has been redirected to the Jonjo O'Neill stable and could prove a potential threat. There are the usual group of middle-of-the-road handicappers trying to bridge the gap here but best of the rest could be Trouble At Bay. Verdict: 1pt Chivalry @ 20/1 (Stan James)