Cleeve Hurdle Betting - Crus to live up to Grand Billing

Big Buck's may be heading straight to the Festival, but this year's renewal of the Cleeve Hurdle still looks informative in terms of establishing the pre-Cheltenham pecking order, writes Timeform’s Keith Melrose.

Despite the lowering of stable talisman Kauto Star's colours at Kempton, messrs Nicholls and Stewart have resisted temptation to send three-mile hurdling behemoth Big Buck's back over fences for the Gold Cup, meaning he remains a short-priced favourite for the World Hurdle with little obvious challenge judging by the market.

However, David Pipe's five-year-old Grands Crus has made waves like few other young hurdlers this winter, winning a twenty-one furlong intermediate event at Cheltenham in November before storming to success in another hotly-contested handicap at Haydock a week later. Grands Crus looks a sure thing to make up into a top-class hurdler and if the Cleeve Hurdle is to be the stepping stone to taking on Big Buck's that so many anticipate, he must surely justify favouritism (currently trades at 3.4) on Saturday.

The most obvious rival to Grands Crus is Bensalem (4.7), who went from strength to strength over both hurdles and fences in 2009/10 despite the Alan King yard's failing fortunes, culminating in a second-place finish in a Grade 1 at Punchestown in April. Although he's not been seen since, his stable are going much better this season and even the pick of his form last year would most likely be enough to see Bensalem make the places, especially seeing as he receives weight from most of his chief rivals.

Another who escapes a penalty is Organisateur (7.0), who like Grands Crus is a relentlessly progressive hurdler. This will be Organisateur's first try in this grade, the step up rather necessitated by his second-place finish in a valuable handicap over twenty-one furlongs at Kempton last time from a BHA mark of 154. Although he undoubtedly has the form to make an impact in this race, verging on high-class already, the additional emphasis on stamina is by no means certain to play to Organisateur's strengths, acknowledging he's had no problems seeing his races out thus far.

Completing the up-and comers are Restless Harry (10.0) and Spirit River (11.0). Restless Harry took fairly high order among the novice hurdlers last season and has progressed during the current campaign, running his best race when third to Big Buck's in the Long Walk Hurdle at Newbury last time. He remains very much unexposed at this trip and could well run into a place should he continue on the up. Conversely, it's been a season of downs for Spirit River so far, his much-anticipated switch to chasing seemingly shelved after a couple of non-completions here and at Newbury. He was an upwardly-mobile novice last season over hurdles, signing off with success in the Coral Cup, so he possibly still has something to offer in this sphere.

Another worthy of mention is intriguing French recruit Cristal Bonus (15.0). Bought for a pretty penny at Saint-Cloud November Sales, he made his debut for Evan Williams in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham last month and appeared to show smart form when fifth, not knocked about as the likes of Menorah and Cue Card got away. It looks as though Cristal Bonus has the potential to be a high-class hurdler, but he was unproven over this sort of trip in France and has been handed the maximum penalty for his efforts there.

Truth be told, we at Timeform have been all over Grands Crus for a while, and we aren't about to abandon him now; not only has he the greatest potential of these, but a number of his chief rivals have questions to answer in terms of either form, fitness or stamina. The exception to this is Restless Harry, who is also progressive, albeit not at the same unstoppable pace, and is sure to prove well suited by the test this trip provides in time.

Recommendations

Back Grands Crus @ 3.4 and Restless Harry @ 10.0 in the Cleeve Hurdle.