The 2026 Stayers’ Hurdle went the way of Home By The Lee in a big upset for Joseph O’Brien.
A combination of old friends and new faces lined up in a compelling renewal of the contest which looked significantly more challenging than recent years. The last two winners of the race, both in the Robcour colours, lined up but it was a different veteran in Home By The Lee who ran out victorious.
Ballyburn was a running-on second, while Bob Olinger filled the third spot in his defence of the title.
Home By The Lee a game winner of dour staying test
The 2026 Stayers’ Hurd;e was billed to be a fascinating spectacle with a plethora of new angles going into the contest. There was still the familiar faces of last year’s forecast Bob Olinger and Teahupoo, as the former looked to maintain his unbeaten Cheltenham record, while the latter attempted to regain his staying crown.
Kabral Du Mathan looked likely to go to Aintree with connections seemingly favourable of the intermediate distance, but with the ground on the better side, they were happy to take their chance with the impressive Relkeel Hurdle winner.
The Cleeve Hurdle one-two added further substance for the race as Ma Shantou sought to become connections’ new staying hurdling star, following on from the excellent Paisley Park. Impose Toi was seven lengths behind him in the Cleeve, but he was giving 7lbs on unfavourable ground.
Ballyburn struggled to propel himself into the higher echelons of thoroughbred status over fences having not looked all that natural. He’d been beaten twice back over timber coming into the race, but the 2024 Turners winner was returning with a point to prove in a first time hood.
Yet in the event, it was none of those star names that ran out victorious. Instead, it was one of the unheralded heroes of National Hunt racing who secured a willing success.
Home By The Lee was attempting to win the Stayers’ Hurdle at the fifth attempt. Under a persistent ride from JJ Slevin, he drew the sting out of Kabral Du Mathan, who faded up the hill, and was too strong up the hill for Ballyburn, who finished second from the rear.