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Stayers' Hurdle tips
- Selection: Crambo to win the Stayers’ Hurdle – 11/2 with Unibet
- Next Best: Sire Du Berlais each-way in the Stayers’ Hurdle – 16/1 with William Hill
The Stayers’ Hurdle is the highlight on day three of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, and horse racing betting sites make it the most open of the Championship contests at the meeting this year. This race takes place over 3m, with 12 hurdles needed to be jumped on the New Course.
A field of 13 runners has been declared for this year’s Stayers’ Hurdle, and it is headed by Irish horse Teahupoo for Gordon Elliott. He finished third in this contest 12 months ago, and he is one of two horses that the Irishman will saddle for this year's renewal.
Crambo is the leading British contender on gambling sites, and he will be bidding to thwart a strong challenge from Ireland. It has been four years since a British-trained horse last won this race, and that was when Lisnagar Oscar prevailed for Rebecca Curtis.
In what is an unusual route, former Grand National winner Noble Yeats features in this race ahead of his bid to retain his title in the Aintree showpiece next month. Emmet Mullins’ runner is a big player following his victory in the Cleeve Hurdle over this C&D on Trials Day.
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The field also includes three former winners, with Paisley Park (2019), Flooring Porter (2021 and 2022) and Sire Du Berlais (2023) all vying for more glory in the prestigious contest.
The horse racing betting apps make Teahoopoo the favourite to give Ireland another major success at this meeting. Here is a look at our selections for the race.
Crambo to outstay his rivals in Thursday’s feature
Trainer Fergal O’Brien goes into the Stayers’ Hurdle with the chance to record the biggest success since he picked up his licence in 2011. Crambo has established himself as one of the best staying hurdlers in the UK and Ireland over the last couple of seasons, and this is his chance to add his name to the Cheltenham Festival roll of honour.
The seven-year-old has won seven of his 10 career starts, and since stepping up to 3m, his rating has rocketed up to a mark of 157. There is likely to be more to come from the progressive hurdler, who is in just his second season over obstacles.
O'Brien opted to bypass Cheltenham last season in favour of Sandown on Imperial Cup Day. He won a valuable premier handicap contest. After wins at Aintree and Ascot this season, the plan has always been to run in this Championship race at the Festival.
Crambo jumped to the top end of the market for the Stayers’ Hurdler across betting apps when he won the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle back in December. He beat the likes of Paisley Park, Dashel Drasher and Champ in that race, consistent Grade One performers.
O’Brien’s runner will have to hold off some talented horses from Ireland in this race, but he has the class to do so. Unibet go 11/2 on the Brit winning the day three feature.
Stayers' Hurdle tip 1: Crambo to win the Stayers’ Hurdle – 11/2 with Unibet
Repeat success can’t be ruled out for Sire Du Berlais
At odds of 33/1, Sire Du Berlais was a surprise winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2023. He was the oldest to prevail in the race since Crimson Embers in 1986. If he repeats that triumph this year, he will become the oldest horse to score in the modern era.
Elliott’s runner showed his success at the Cheltenham Festival was no fluke when he won the Aintree Hurdle a month later last season. He then came close to a famous treble, as he went down by less than a length in the Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.
We have not seen much of Sire Du Berlais this season. He didn’t make his seasonal reappearance until last month when he featured in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan. He finished a long way down the field in that race, but he was entitled to be rusty in what was his first run in 10 months.
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The Irish horse is very versatile on all ground types, so if the rain continues to fall ahead of this Championship race, he is one of only a handful of horses in the field with proven form in testing conditions.
If you are looking for an each-way punt on betting sites on this year’s Stayers’ Hurdle, you could do worst that take the 16/1 with William Hill on Sire Du Berlais.
Stayers' Hurdle tip 2: Sire Du Berlais each-way in the Stayers’ Hurdle – 16/1 with William Hill
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Last Updated: 30th April 2024, 10:28 AM
