The Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle is one of many key trails being run at Cheltenham this Saturday. Paisley Park was the last horse to do the Cleeve-Stayers’ Hurdle double in 2019, so the form can often work out very well. Joe Napier analyses the 2025 field to come up with his 1-2-3 selections.

In a tightly-fought contest in 2024, former Grand National hero Noble Yeats battled to come out on top under Harry Cobden.
CRAMBO
(Fergal O’Brien/Jonathan Burke)
The last two editions of the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle have gone the way of Crambo. The eight-year-old is the apple of Fergal O’Brien’s eye and is evidently a very talented horse when fresh, winning his seasonal opener in each of the four completed seasons he has taken part in.
He won the first of his Long Walks on his third start though, so he should not be singled out as a one trick pony. The biggest doubt about him for this contest is his adaptability for Cheltenham after he was a disappointing ninth in the Stayers’ Hurdle at last season’s Festival. However, the ground may dry up enough to be more suitable come Saturday and he has a strong claim to being the best horse in the race.
STRONG LEADER
(Olly Murphy/Sean Bowen)
Having been so consistent since stepping up to 3m, Strong Leader threw a paddy at Ascot, finishing last of the ten runners in the Long Walk Hurdle when a strongly supported favourite. He had previously won his first Grade 1 in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree and made a winning comeback at Newbury in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle.
Ascot was surely too bad to be true and he has had wind surgery since. That does strike a few alarm bells as to his wellbeing, but his previous 3m form, including when negatively ridden for third in this a year ago, may well be the superior in this field. If he bounces back, he may take some stopping.

GOWEL ROAD
(Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies)
With a string of seconds to his name, Gowel Road is either frustrating or admirable depending on whether you have consistently backed him. He has finished runner-up on all four starts this season, all of them coming at Cheltenham, and three of them in handicaps at this trip.
Two of those were off top-weight of 12st against progressive youngsters with the last of them a close second in the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle over 2m4½f on New Year’s Day behind the up-and-coming Lucky Place. Stepping back up to 3m will suit him, he should be able to lead as he wants and he gets 6lb from the top duo, who may not be as far ahead of him as their ratings would make out.
MONMIRAL
(Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden)
The only course and distance winner in the field, Monmiral scored his success here in last year’s Pertemps Final. Off a declining mark, he won off a rating of 138 and in the current staying hurdle climate, that puts him only narrowly short of Graded quality.
He was disappointing on return, but gave Strong Leader something to think about at Newbury when second in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle there. That could easily be considered a career best and recent rain will have helped, albeit the forecast is for the ground to dry. Similarly, there seem few reasons he can overturn form with Strong Leader under the same conditions if that rival is on song.

THE FIELD
High class chasing handicapper Ga Law is an interesting runner in here for Jamie Snowden. On some of his chase form he would have a sparkling chance here, but he was last of six in the 2023 West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby when attempting a raid back over timber and is best watched over this distance with further handicap prospects in mind over fences.
Kerryhill won a Grade 2 as a novice over 3m at Doncaster. He clearly has the commensurate staying power, but may be a bit short of this level, while Botox Has has been below his ebay this season and concedes weight alongside Crambo and Strong Leader all-round. Another budding staying chaser, Transmission, makes up the field; he is an improving type but the best of his hurdling form leaves him a lot to do.
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With Strong Leader and Crambo conceding him 6lb, GOWEL ROAD may finally be able to get his head in front. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge has been knocking on the door in Cheltenham handicaps over this trip, twice carrying 12st to second place and his front-running tactics could be used to good effect to fend his rivals off at a track he clearly likes. Strong Leader is fancied to bounce back for second as the most naturally talented runner in the race, with Crambo likely to beat the rest for third as long as Cheltenham is not too much of a negative for him.
- Gowel Road
- Strong Leader
- Crambo

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