Greatwood gains for Twiston-Davies with I Like To Move It

Locally-trained winner of valuable Cheltenham handicap.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ I Like To Move It continued his love affair with Cheltenham’s old course when carrying top-weight to victory in the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Twice a winner over this course and distance last autumn, he won the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Novices’ Hurdle on this card 12 months ago and was always to the fore on this occasion in the hands of Sam Twiston-Davies.

Only five flights of hurdles were jumped throughout the two-mile handicap with low sun signalling the removal of the timber in the home straight and it was the winner and the Paul Nicholls-trained Sonigino who led them along in the early stages that were devoid of any jumping tests.

Runners and riders during the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle
Runners and riders during the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (Tim Goode/PA)

The hurdling began down the back where I Like To Move It continued to dictate the pace and the five-year-old was still galloping strongly when 4-1 favourite Gin Coco moved stealthily into contention approaching what would be the final flight.

The duo pulled clear as the lung-busting run up the Cheltenham hill ensued, but the locally-trained winner soon edged ahead and was always in command in the closing stages as he landed the GBP 100,000 feature.

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