Architect Tips previews the 2024 Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Stayers' Hurdle - Winner
Reigning French Champion Hurdler Theleme (9/2 on Betfred) features among 36 entries for the Stayers’ Hurdle – the feature race on Thursday at the Cheltenham Festival.
Click here to read this week’s Road to Cheltenham preview.
Stayers’ Hurdle Ante-Post Preview
Theleme to follow in the footsteps of Baracouda?
It’s been more than two decades since the mighty Baracouda, one of France’s greatest staying hurdlers, claimed the Stayers’ Hurdle for the second time in his career. Since then, we have yet to see another French-trained winner of Thursday’s feature race.
However, this year, that could all change, as a horse called Theleme rocketed to the top of the ante-post market following a breathtaking 10-length success in the Grade 1 Prix Serge Landon - Grand Prix d'Automne when last spotted, a win which saw his prize money surpass £1 million.
In turn, he was winning the race for a second consecutive year, having beaten the likes of Hermes Baie and L’Autonomie 12 months earlier. Just that piece of form alone is seriously hot, as the second and third mentioned horses are genuine Grade 1 winners, and he beat the pair with a lot to spare.
Over hurdles last spring, he thumped recent impressive Kempton Grade 1 winner Il Est Francais, and his reiterated latest win was his 10th win from 18 starts and a fifth triumph at the highest level. His trainer, Arnaud Chaille-Chaille, has since had his eyes set on a trip to the Cheltenham Festival with this high-quality seven-year-old.
Having established himself as the best stayer that France has to offer, this gelding, who is British-owned by the Gordons, will be having his first taste of British racing. But with the Stayers’ division looking rather thin on the ground, this is an excellent opportunity for him to showcase his class against horses in their own backyard.
French-trained runners have a great record in this particular race, so anything they send over is always worth a second look. This horse, in my opinion, has a lot of similarities to Baracouda, who took the Stayers’ Hurdle division by storm between 2002 and 2003, given his athleticism and body of work.
With his form continuously working out well, it is going to take something extraordinary to see him beaten in March. The undulations of the course should prove no issue, and his strong-travelling run style, coupled with his smooth jumping technique, should stand him in good stead when he takes on his biggest task to date.
The only niggling issue would be if the ground was anything better than soft, as connections have predominantly kept him on soft or heavy ground. Is it just a coincidence? Or is he ground-dependent? Only time will tell. Still, he’s earned himself a crack at this illustrious prize after dominant displays in his hometown and is by far the most fascinating entrant.
Can Teahupoo improve on last year’s third?
Trained by Gordon Elliott, the seven-year-old claimed a second win at the highest level when making a successful return in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, and given that he brought an end to the unbeaten record of Impaire Et Passe, bookmakers immediately installed him as the initial 4/1 favourite.
Sent off as the favourite for this race last year, he was a shade unfortunate not to finish closer than he did, having been impeded on the run-in by Dashel Drasher. Despite failing to justify favouritism, he ran well in defeat, and based on his reappearance success he appears to be getting better while others are seemingly regressing.
The plan is to now head straight to Cheltenham, and his place claims are obvious to see, but improvement is still needed if he’s to improve on last year’s third.
Likewise with the favourite, all of his form, particularly his best form, has been on a surface that is soft or worse. If the ground is quicker, then he is more vulnerable, but if it’s worse he’s got a decent chance.
He is a likeable horse with good stride action, but I have an inclination that his best chance of winning this race was last year. He does have time on his side, but he will be up against a formidable opponent in Theleme, and if he couldn’t get the job done against an ageing Sire Du Berlais (a great horse with all due respect) last year, then how can he possibly beat a horse who has looked unbeatable at times?
He should be thereabouts and is probably a solid option to make the frame again, but I suspect he will find one or two too good. A few of his rivals offer a touch more value from a punting perspective, so for all that he’s one of the obvious candidates on paper, I am happy to take him on at the prices with a horse or two that might improve past him.
Irish Point could be Gordon’s best hope
While Gordon Elliott holds a decent chance with Teahupoo, stablemate Irish Point entered the reckoning after coping with the step-up in trip to land the Grade 1 Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle and has now given Gordon the option as to which way he goes next. He is available at 6/1 on bet365.
His novice campaign last season concluded with a Grade 1 victory at Aintree before winning his seasonal debut at Down Royal last month. He was then required to handle the longer distance over the Christmas period against a field of five other runners and blitzed Asterion Forlonge by 11 lengths.
Now that his stamina has been confirmed, his trainer has the enviable option of either going to Cheltenham to take on his teammate or being kept fresh for the Aintree Hurdle. The way he settled, jumped, and put the race to bed was exceptional, but from an ante-post stance, I would wait to see what Gordon does with him, as his participation is far from confirmed.
If you’re keen on his chance, then I would recommend going with firms offering NRMB, but his price is unlikely to commute. With improvement on the cards, he is one to monitor closely. His last three wins have been on good to soft, soft, and heavy, so whatever the conditions in his next start, he will handle them.
Last season’s Mersey Novices’ Hurdle winner was beaten a head by subsequent Supreme winner Marine Nationale in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse and has now won four on the spin, including two at the top level. With much more to offer and being unexposed over three miles, he is a danger if he does line up.
Long Walk winner Crambo could fare best of the Brits
While it is highly surprising to note that Fergal O’Brien has yet to train a Cheltenham Festival winner, he will head into March with a fair chance of lifting the Stayers’ Hurdle with the rapidly-improving seven-year-old Crambo, who could be suited to the race and might be able to break his trainer's duck.
A general 9/1 chance for Thursday’s major contest in March, he landed the biggest win of his career to date when seeing off three-time winner Paisley Park in a fantastic battle. The controversial surroundings about jockey bookings saw Fergal replace Connor Brace with Jonathan Burke, but the decision paid dividends.
He might not be the flashiest of horses, but he has a big engine and a big heart, and the way he knuckled down to beat a horse who has been one of the best stayers around for many years was really impressive. His customary strong late surge will be hugely beneficial around this course, and he cannot be dismissed.
Stayers’ Hurdle Odds
| Stayers' Hurdle Winner | Best Odds | Worst Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Teahupoo | 4/1 | 7/2 |
| Theleme | 9/2 | 7/2 |
| Irish Point | 6/1 | 9/2 |
| Impaire Et Passe | 8/1 | 5/1 |
| Crambo | 9/1 | 6/1 |
| Sir Gerhard | 14/1 | 10/1 |
Stayers’ Hurdle 2024 Ante-Post Tips
This doesn’t look like the strongest edition of the Stayers’ Hurdle, and I am quite keen on backing the French-trained THELEME (best price 9/2) who has beaten a variety of high-class horses to date and has plenty more to come.
I have no concerns if the ground comes up quick, because he seems to be the sort of horse who will adapt to all conditions, even if his form so far has been on soft surfaces.
The way he has thrashed multiple Grade 1 winners suggests we could be dealing with a very special horse. Given the fact that France hasn’t had a winner in this race since Baracouda triumphed twice in the 2000's, this top-class seven-year-old earns the vote to land them an overdue success. I think his odds are really appealing in a substandard renewal.
