2024 Champion Stayers Hurdle Tips
Owners Robcour have the first three in the betting when it comes to the Champion Stayers Hurdle and they could potentially land a clean sweep. It’s hard to see Teahupoo out of the first three based on previous showings, with the seven-year-old having claimed an impressive win in the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Previously to this was a victory against four other runners at Fairyhouse in early December, with the horse trading as the short-priced favourite to land a victory. However, Irish Point is not without a chance and there was plenty to like about the performance from the six-year-old in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Irish Point had previously recorded victories at Leopardstown and Down Royal, with the former win coming when triumphing by eleven lengths over Asterion Forlonge. That was after scoring a success against Magical Zoe on his seasonal debut, with Hiddenvalley Lake coming next in the betting and this could be a good each-way bet.
The Henry de Bromhead-trained horse was last seen finishing third at Aintree when running a valiant race in the Liverpool Hurdle, finishing behind Strong Leader and Buddy One. That came after a success at Navan, although there are other lively chances such as Home By The Lee and Buddy One, the latter of whom looks a decent each-way proposition.
2023 Champion Stayers Hurdle Tips
The 2023 Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle takes place on 27 April, with Teahupoo having scored a win at Fairyhouse in early December, with the horse then obliging at Gowran Park by a sizeable distance. However, the Gordon Elliott-trained runner was beaten by two big-priced opponents in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Perhaps the six-year-old might get things his own way back on Irish soil although this race looks suitably competitive, with Klassical Dream bidding to improve on his performance in the Stayers Hurdle last month. The Willie Mullins-trained charge was sent off at 15/2 although didn’t deal very well with the ground and might struggle to make an impression.
Monkfish is an interesting runner who was a facile winner of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival although the horse then experienced a mighty long lay-off before returning to the track at Fairyhouse recently. Perhaps he won’t rediscover the form of old although the 11/4 shot no doubt benefitted from a run in Grade 2 company when finishing runner-up.
Asterion Forlonge won on that occasion and lines up here, while Sire Du Berlais is bidding to secure an unlikely hat-trick, with the Gordon Elliott-trained runner having obliged at Cheltenham at princely odds of 33/1 before scoring at Aintree at odds of 8/1. It could be the best each-way bet of the entire race.
The Ladbrokes’ Stayers Hurdle is one of the biggest horse races at the 2022 Punchestown Festival, with the winner collecting a purse of over £150,000 in this encounter and it’s a serious test of stamina. Just under three miles isn’t for the faint-hearted and we could see a couple of seasoned ten-year-olds battle it out with Klassical Dream.
Willie Mullins has previously saddled this horse to some memorable victories, with this including the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2019, while there was a win in the 2021 Stayers’ Hurdle and also a triumph in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown Racecourse over three miles.
However, some might point to the fact that Klassical Dream didn’t oblige as the 11/4 favourite in the 2022 Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with the horse actually reluctant to line up in the first place. Having got himself into a good position, the runner was eventually found wanting.
Can Paisley Park Roll Back the Years and Win Stayers?
Paisley Park is not an easy horse to write off, with the Emma Lavelle-trained runner having delighted crowds for a number of years even if he’s found wins hard to come by this season. The ten-year-old produced outstanding staying quality when landing third to Flooring Porter in the Cheltenham Festival race and could be in the mix here.
The horse has never run at Punchestown although Paisley Park has been in the frame on four of the five times he has run this season. That means an each-way bet could be in order. It might be the horse’s final run of his career and it would be a crowning moment if we saw Paisley produce the goods to win.
Sire Du Berlais could be an even better value bet. The horse was sent off at 16/1 in the recent Liverpool Hurdle and wasn’t expected to topple strong favourite Flooring Porter, although the Gordon Elliott-trained charge was able to oblige over a distance which was further than three miles.
The JP McManus-owned horse was the 11/2 co-favourite in the Pertemps at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival although the runner flattered to deceive. The trainer later commented that the horse didn’t appreciate the ground although there might be a better surface for this charge to run a big race.