Blast From The Past: Cleeve Hurdle

The Cleeve Hurdle is perhaps best known these days as a key trial for the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with Inglis Drever (2008), Big Buck's (2009 and 2012) and Thistlecrack (2016) all completing the double since the race's distance was extended to three miles in 2005 (previously run over two miles and five furlongs). 

This year's Cleeve winner will likely head back to Prestbury Park in March with leading claims of emulating that top-class trio, and connections of Unowhatimeanharry appear better placed than most at present. He took his record for the Harry Fry yard to seven wins from seven starts when taking the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot last month and is currently no better than even-money for the Cleeve Hurdle on Saturday, despite having to concede weight to the majority of his rivals.

Unowhatimeanharry will likely face an even tougher task should he make it to the start line for the Stayers' Hurdle, but it is often forgotten that the Cleeve Hurdle was once a championship race in its own right. Indeed, the race held Grade 1 status for some 13 years between 1991 and 2004, and that period is perhaps best remembered for the exploits of the Venetia Williams-trained mare Lady Rebecca, who brought the house down when winning the Cleeve for the third consecutive year in 2001.

Lady Rebecca had been absent for 268 days when lining up that January and faced stiff opposition in trying to add to her two previous victories, which had been gained in contrasting style, a 20-length cakewalk on the first occasion followed by a very game neck defeat of Bacchanal on the second. The joint favourites were Barton, successful in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle before running second in the Bula Hurdle, and Youlneverwalkalone, stylish winner of the Hatton's Grace Hurdle but pulled up in the Bula. Relkeel Hurdle winner Mister Banjo was next in the market, then came Lady Rebecca at 7/1.

Held up towards the rear of the field in the early stages, Lady Rebecca stalked front runner Mister Banjo into the straight, quickened ahead at the last and was ridden clear to score by six lengths, with Anzum seventeen lengths adrift in third. Barton ran below form in fifth and Youlneverwalkalone fell at the second, but there was no denying the merit of the winner's performance, or the racing public's delight at her success. The performance confirmed Lady Rebecca's status at the time as the best mare to have raced over hurdles since Flakey Dove in the first half of the 1990s, picking up a Grade 1 event three years running being, at any time, no mean achievement.

Unfortunately, Lady Rebecca was not seen out again after the Cleeve. Before the end of February it was announced that she would miss the rest of the season after suffering from a hind leg infection, which would ultimately cause her retirement. She went out with a record of 13 wins from 19 starts and produced the likes of useful hurdler Lord Generous in her time at the Tweenhills Stud owned by David Redvers, who paid just 400 guineas for Lady Rebecca as a yearling. Lady Rebecca spent the rest of her days there until 2013, when she was put down at the age of 21 after a bout of colic.