The Stayers’ Hurdle is the second of two feature races on day 3 of the Festival. The 3m contest was won last season by Gavin Cromwell’s enigmatic Flooring Porter. Andrew Mount has previewed this event alongside an exclusive SBK offer that provides money back in cash up to £40.
PADDY POWER STAYERS’ HURDLE (Cheltenham 3.30, Thursday, March 17)
Key Stats & Trends
Age
All of the last ten winners were nine or younger. Those aged 10+ are zero from 21. Backing all horses aged six or seven would have found seven winners from 58 bets for a profit of £55.88 to a £1 level stake at SP. This age group has won seven of the last eight renewals and had the runner-up in the one blank year (2016).
Days Since Last Run
All ten winners had been off the track for more than six weeks. Those brought back soon were 0-45 (expected winners = 1.77).
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Recent Form
Six winners had been successful in their prep race, three others made the frame (second, third and fourth) and one had fallen (Nicholls Canyon in 2017, who had finished second on his last completed start).
Prep Race
Six winners had last run at Cheltenham and four in Ireland (Leopardstown (2), Punchestown and Naas). All ten winners had prepped in a Grade 1, 2 or 3 contest.
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The Main Contenders
FLOORING PORTER
Last year’s impressive winner has failed to get his head in front in three subsequent outings, though has had excuses – he hated the right-handed track when pulling up at the Punchestown Festival, fell when in with every chance at Naas on his comeback and gave the winner too much rope when a two-length second to Klassical Dream in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown where he pulled 21 lengths clear of the third. His record left-handed now reads 162111F2 (4-8), with the sixth place coming over an inadequate 2m4f trip. He’ll probably get taken on for the lead if front-running is the plan but still holds obvious claims.
KLASSICAL DREAM
The 2019 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner returned from a 17-month absence to slam his rivals in the Champion Stayers Hurdle at the Punchestown festival last spring and got the better of Flooring Porter when reappearing at Leopardstown over Christmas. He could only finish a modest fourth when 1-3 favourite for the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdler at Gowran Park in January but that race probably came too soon (after a break of just 30 days). Since joining Willie Mullins, his record when rested for at least five weeks reads 11113511 (6-8), improving to 1111 (4-4) in fields of 11 or more runners. He has made the running the last twice but might appreciate the return to the more patient tactics that were employed for that Punchestown success.
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CHAMP
Nicky Henderson’s ten-year-old, a dramatic winner of the RSA Chase in 2020, took the scalp of Thyme Hill when returned to hurdles in the Long Walk at Ascot in December and can perhaps be forgiven his subsequent Cleeve Hurdle defeat, as he raced on the inside of the track when it paid to challenge wide. Alternatively, it may be that Cheltenham’s New Course doesn’t suit – his record here now reads FP2 (0-3).
THYME HILL
Best of the British-trained contingent when a close fourth to Monkfish in an epic Albert Bartlett in 2020, he goes extremely well when fresh and has been rested since December’s runner-up effort to Champ in the Long Walk. He also ran well at the 2019 festival, finishing a 20-1 third to Envoi Allen in the Champion Bumper, again doing best of the British. He won gamely at Aintree last spring after a near four-month break and has solid each-way claims if coming here instead of waiting for Aintree again..
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PAISLEY PARK
Ended a run of five defeats when coming from well back to beat Champ in the Cleeve, though he may have been flattered by challenging wide. He won this in 2019 but has ben beaten at odds of 4-6 and 9-4 in the last two renewals and the ten-year-old makes little appeal.
ROYAL KAHALA
Peter Fahey’s seven-year-old mare is improving at a rate of knots and has a hurdles record of 1129211 (4-7). Those figures improve to 111 (3-3) over 2m4f or further and she landed the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park in January on her first attempt at 3m. She reportedly finished lame when only ninth (9-2 favourite) in last year’s Dawn Run. She’s a shorter price for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle but might not run in either race if the ground is faster than good to soft.
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SPORTING JOHN
This stablemate of Thyme Hill has form figures on officially soft or heavy going, including point-to-point form, of 1111711 (6-7), with the defeat in the 2020 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle when reportedly finishing distressed. On quicker ground his record stands at 3FP14 (1-5), with the win in a handicap hurdle.
SIRE DU BERLAIS
Last year’s runner-up won the 2020 Pertemps Final and certainly appreciate a big field/strong pace scenario. He’s proved disappointing so far this term but could bounce back with another placed effort, especially if the ground is soft.
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STAYERS HURDLE VERDICT
Of those near the head of the antepost betting, I’m keen to take on both Champ and Paisley Park. THYME HILL has been to the Cheltenham Festival twice before and fared best of the British-trained runners in his race on each occasion – finishing third at 20-1 to Envoi Allen in the Champion Bumper and a close-up fourth to Monkfish in the Albert Bartlett. I’m confident that he’ll be best of the home contingent again and, hopefully, bookies will offer this market on the day. If not, then he can be backed in match bets against Champ and Paisley Park. Thyme Hill might again find two or three Irish runners to beat him – take your pick from Flooring Porter, Klassical Dream and Royal Kahala, though I still want to be put him up as my each-way selection for the race.
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