Stayers’ Hurdle: Feature race preview on Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival

The Stayers’ Hurdle has always been considered as the feature race on Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival. We’ve highlighted the main contenders for Thursday’s race, the key trends, provided an outsider tip as well as a verdict for the main event. Check out our free tips page where you can find a tip for every race at the Cheltenham Festival.

Main contenders

13. Teahupoo

Gordon Elliott’s gelding was second in this race last year and won a Grade 1 at Fairyhouse last time. Arriving here fresh, he’s entitled to go close once again.

4. Crambo

This improving sort narrowly got the better of Paisley Park in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in December. He’ll need to improve on that but he’s going the right way.

9. Noble Yeats

Emmet Mullins’ nine-year-old won the Grand National in 2022 and he stayed on strongly to win the Cleeve Hurdle here last time out. He may not be the quickest of these but few will outstay him.

12. Sir Gerhard

Willie Mullins has been unstoppable so far this week and you wouldn’t put it past him to get this horse back to his best. A winner at the Festival as a novice hurdler, he’s got the engine to go close here.

Stats and trends

1. Eight of the last 10 winners of the race have been six or seven-year-olds. This stat is indicative of the fact that no horse has been able to dominate the division in recent history.

2. Only two of the last 10 winners have been favourites and we’ve had 33/1 and 50/1 winners in this time. Although this trend sounds significant, it is one that you can probably overlook.

3. Flooring Porter is the only horse to win the race more than once in the last 10 years. Therefore Paisley Park and Sire Du Berlais could be worth taking on, as is Flooring Porter himself who was beaten last year.

Outsider

Buddy One (28-1, William Hill) is our tip for this race and he was third behind the useful Iroko in the Martin Pipe at last year’s Festival. Paul Gilligan’s gelding confirmed his love for the track when winning a handicap here on soft ground in November off 147. He’s been disappointing in two subsequent starts but the return to Cheltenham will suit and he can outrun his odds.

Verdict

The age stat is hard to overlook here and you’ll probably want to be looking at one of the seven-year-olds. Gordon Elliott’s Teahupoo was just denied in this race last year and probably should have won. He comes here very fresh and looks the most likely winner.

If you back any of our selections you can watch them live on the free Racing Post app or racingpost.com. Simply log in to one of your bookmaker accounts and click ‘Watch live’ on the racecards.