The Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle, the feature on day Three Of the Cheltenham Festival, has a recent roll of honour that includes multiple winners Baracouda, Inglis Drever and Big Buck’s but defending champion Penhill is not back to defend his title, though his trainer Willie Mullins still has four runners.
STAYERS’ HURDLE RECENT WINNERS
2018-WINNER-PENHILL 7-11-10 Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Paul Townend; SP-12/1
2017 NICHOLS CANYON 7-11-10 Trainer-Willie Mullins IRE; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-10/1
2016 THISTLECRACK 8-11-10 Trainer-Colin Tizzard; Jockey-Tom Scudamore; SP-Evens Fav
2015-COLE HARDEN 6-11-10 Trainer-Warren Greatrex; Jockey-Gavin Sheehan; SP-14/1
2014-MORE OF THAT 6-11-10 Trainer-Jonjo O’Neill; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-15/2
2013-WINNER-SOLWHIT 9-11-10 OTrainer-Charles Byrnes IRE; Jockey-Paul Carberry; SP-17/2
2012-WINNER-BIG BUCK’S 9-11-10 Owner-The Stewart Family; Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP- 5/6F
2011-WINNER-BIG BUCK’S 8-11-10 Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP- 10/11F
2010-WINNER-BIG BUCK’S 7-11-10 Trainer-Paul Nichols; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-5/6 Fav
2009-WINNER-BIG BUCK’S 6-11-10 Trainer-Paul Nicholls; Jockey-Ruby Walsh; SP-6/1
2008-WINNER-INGLIS DREVER 9-11-10 Trainer-Howard Johnson; Jockey-Denis O’Regan; SP-11/8 Fav
2007-WINNER-INGLIS DREVER 8-11-10 Trainer-Howard Johnson; Jockey-Paddy Brennan; SP-5/1
2006-WINNER-MY WAY DE SOLZEN 6-11-10 Trainer-Alan King; Jockey-Robert Thornton; SP-8/1
2004-WINNER-IRIS’S GIFT 7-11-10 Trainer-Jonjo O’Neill; Jockey-Barry Geraghty; SP-9/2
2003-WINNER-BARACOUDA 8-11-10 Trainer-Francois Doumen FR; Jockey-Thierry Doumen; SP-9/4 Jt Fav
2002-WINNER-BARACOUDA 7-11-10 Trainer-Francois Doumen FR; Jockey-Thierry Doumen; SP-13/8 Fav
2001 Cancelled
2000-WINNER-BACCHANAL 6-11-10 Trainer-Nicky Henderson; Jockey-Mick Fitzgerald; SP-11/2
Stayers’ Hurdle Trends
A Grade 1 race run over 3m has an impressive prize fund of £325,000 and has tempted 18 entries. Many of them are old rivals but the field can probably be slimmed down by examining some strong trends related to this race.
- 14 of the last 16 winners finished in the first two on their previous start.
- Only three of the last 16 winners started at bigger odds than 8/1.
- There has been no winner older than nine in more than 30 years.
- Most recent winners had had a run in the calendar year.
Supasundae looks a solid each-way bet at 8/1 with William Hill. He is very consistent and the return to 3m will suit last year’s runner-up who is a past Festival winner.
But it’s difficult to look beyond favourite PAISLEY PARK if this season’s form means anything. Emma Lavelle’s seven-year-old has improved out of all recognition, beating a number of today’s rivals in the Long Walk at Ascot in December and doing likewise in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham last time. He’ll handle the soft going and hindsight may tell us that Betway’s 2/1 was much too big, despite his lack of Festival experience.
Sun Racing Stayers’ Hurdle Current Best Odds
Paisley Park 2/1, Faugheen 9/2, Supasundae 8/1, Black Op, Kilbricken Storm, Bacardys and Top Notch 14/1, Bapaume 25/1, West Approach 33/1, Petit Mouchoir and Wholestone 40/1, Sam Spinner and Yanworth 50/1, Coquins Mans and Keeper Hill 66/1, The Mighty Don 80/1, Nautical Nitwit 100/1, Man Of Plenty 200/1
(Odds correct at 10.45am March 13)
Mullins has two of the market leaders in the Ryanair Chase in Footpad and Un De Sceaux and other Irish runners Monalee and Road To Respect are strong fancies while Balko Des Flos defends his title. But this is home territory for FRODON and Bryony Frost and Paul Nicholls’ seven-year-old can show his quality again by repelling all boarders.
Though only fifth last year, that run came towards the end of a busy campaign. He has run only four times this season, winning three, so will be better prepared for this test. Victory in the Cotswold Chase in January showed that he is more than comfortable in this grade nowadays, though there isn’t a lot of leeway with the general 6/1.
Defi Du Seuil and Lostintranslation are becoming regular rivals and the score stands at one-all between the pair over fences. The latter won here on New Year’s Day but was receiving weight and the former took his revenge at Sandown. VINNDICATION was only third on the latter occasion but almost certainly wasn’t at his best. He still kept on well in the closing stages and might be worth another chance in the JLT Novices’ Chase at the 9/1 with William Hill. Trainer Kim Bailey still holds him in very high regard and he loves the mud.
Bigger-priced outsiders worth a second look on the third day of the Cheltenham Festival include CULTURE DE SIVOLA at 40/1 with Ladbrokes in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle and KAUTO RIKO at a general 33/1 in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase.
The former was a real eye-catcher in the qualifier won by Flemcara at Exeter and is a tough mare who responds well to Lizzie Kelly’s handling. Her trainer is not averse to having a touch at the Cheltenham Festival. The latter is a genuine soft-ground performer who travels strongly in his races and it would be a massive boost to the respect careers of trainer Tom Gretton and jockey David Noonan if they could upstage bigger names.
