'He's just the type you want for this' - Willie Mullins, Nicky Henderson and more on their Greatwood Hurdle contenders

It’s three years since the Emmet Mullins-trained The Shunter propelled owner Paul Byrne into the limelight when landing a gamble in this race and Byrne bids to do it again with Onlyamatteroftime, who debuts for Willie Mullins having formerly been with Niall Madden.

Willie has yet to have the same success as his nephew Emmet with Byrne-owned runners, but this horse is well named because it’s surely only a matter of time before he does and whether you think Onlyamatteroftime can win here depends on how you view his last run at Cork when he ran out approaching the last. He looked to be coming with his challenge.

Some people think he was set to come with a winning run and others take the opposite view, and in-running punters on Betfair were split. Onlyamatteroftime hit a low of 2.52 and that equals a 40 per cent chance of success, so the slight majority suggests he wouldn’t have won.

The strange thing about him is that, at seven, he is the equal second-oldest in the field behind only Swaffham Bulbeck, but Onlyamatteroftime is just at the start of his career over hurdles.

Seven-year-olds have won two of the last three runnings and The Shunter was the same age three years ago, but does Onlyamatteroftime know enough to beat battle-hardened rivals on just his fifth hurdles start? If he does then he is probably handicapped to do so off a BHA mark of 115.

Five of the last ten winners were aged five and Nicky Henderson saddles two of them in Iberico Lord and Luccia. Henderson has never won this race, but was planning to run the ill-fated Grade 1 winner Darlan in 2012 before pulling him out late and Iberico Lord, the mount of Nico de Boinville, represents the same owner in JP McManus.

Dan Skelton struck with North Hill Harvey in 2016 and West Cork in 2021 and he saddles Knickerbockerglory and L’Eau Du Sud.

Harry Skelton is on L’Eau Du Sud, but Tristan Durrell partnered Knickerbockerglory to victory in a similarly competitive handicap at Ascot last month and it’s not a surprise he keeps the ride. However, both of the stable’s winners this century were partnered by Skelton.

Skelton is the definition of a jockey who rides predominantly for his retained yard and similar comments apply for Richard Patrick. He has only one ride at Cheltenham all weekend on the Kerry Lee-trained Nemean Lion, but the pair have done well with limited runners at the track.

Patrick is 8-34 at Cheltenham in the last five seasons and Lee is 5-19 at the track in the same period. Patrick rode four of those five winners for the yard, so Nemean Lion can’t be discounted despite having to carry top weight of 12st.

Leotard (1993) and I Like To Move It last year are the only two horses to have defied that weight, but Nemean Lion is racing off a 2lb lower rating (140) than I Like To Move It, who won off 142 last season. He therefore faces a slightly easier task than him, on paper at least.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

Nemean Lion set for 'crunch moment' in Greatwood

It is crunch time for Nemean Lion as the 140-rated hurdler bids to prove his future lies in even more exalted company by landing this prestigious handicap.

The fact trainer Kerry Lee has the Fighting Fifth Hurdle as an alternative for the fast-improving six-year-old should the ground at Cheltenham prove unsuitable is indicative of the regard in which he is held.

With further rain forecast, sidestepping the Greatwood for Newcastle looks most unlikely for the mudloving Nemean Lion, winner of the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las last time.

Nemean Lion (right): bids for the biggest win of his hurdling careerCredit: Edward Whitaker

“He went nicely in his last piece of work before the Greatwood,” Lee said. “This race has always been on the radar for him. I hope he can win off 140 – it’s a bit of a crunch moment for him. We’ll find out if he’s that good.”

Lee’s patience and skill with Nemean Lion has yielded three wins from five starts over hurdles, and the manner of his most recent success strongly suggests there is more to come.

“It’s a tough race, but I'm very hopeful Nemean Lion will prove up to the task,” Lee added. “I have been delighted with him since Ffos Las, and he looks a picture.”

What they say

Jonjo O'Neill, trainer of Anyharminasking
He posted a career-best on his comeback when second in the Welsh Champion Hurdle, but he's up 4lb for that. He likes to go left handed, really, and hopefully he can run well.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Sonigino and Afadil
Afadil had a wind op in the summer and it just put me back a month. We knew we were a bit short and he just got behind the other day, but we knew he needed the run and that will have brought him on a lot, so Harry chose to ride him. Sonigino has got plenty of weight but Freddie’s claim will be helpful. The more of a test of stamina, the better, and it will be quite soft by Sunday. They’re two nice chances.

Fergal O’Brien, trainer of Punctuation
It’s a very difficult race to win. We’ll find out if the handicapper has got hold of him. The horse is in cracking form, and ran very well on the Flat for Hollie Doyle at York last time. I hope that’s teed him up nicely for this race.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Onlyamatteroftime
It's his first run for us. He showed his inexperience when running out at Cork but he has a lovely light weight in a very open race. He does things nicely at home and we are hoping for the best.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Luccia and Iberico Lord
Luccia ran a very good race on her reappearance at Wetherby, just looking like she needed it a bit after the second-last. She travelled very well up to that point, and I hope the run has brought her on. This race comes a bit quick, but she’s in good form. Iberico Lord was a fast-finishing second to our mare Under Control at Sandown in April. This is a very competitive race, but we’ll find out where we stand.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Knickerbockerglory and L'Eau Du Sud
Knickerbockerglory is well in under a penalty after his win at Ascot and looks well at home. We've had this race in mind for some time for him. L'eau Du Sud also looks to have a chance, and we are happy to be throwing two hats into the ring.

Neil King, trainer of Lookaway
He’s come out of his last race at Cheltenham in really good order. He’s a young, improving horse who we feel remains on the right side of the handicapper. Those are just the type you want for valuable handicaps like this and we’re hopeful. The ground won’t be an issue, he was a course-and-distance winner last time out and this has been the plan for a while. He ticks a few boxes.

Olly Murphy, trainer of Go Dante
We've had a clear run with him this season and he's always shown loads at home. He's had a wind op since last season and we're putting a tongue-tie on him, and it would be no surprise to see him outrun his odds.

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