Stayers' Hurdle: Timeform preview and free Race Pass

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This is an open renewal of the Stayers’ Hurdle (15:30), with four of the first six home from last year among the field of eleven, and while there are just the two home-trained runners, there are also a couple of supplemented French entries.

Flooring Porter (173) is bidding to win this for the third year in a row – he therefore has the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag - having retained his title last year when enjoying an uncontested lead again, jumping slickly and having two and three quarter lengths to spare over Thyme Hill. Whilst respected in his hat-trick bid, he has had anything but an ideal preparation this time around and wasn’t at his best in either of his starts before the turn of the year, finishing fourth in both the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan and the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

He may well have to give best to a new rival in Gordon Elliott’s Teahupoo (174), now the winner of eight of his eleven starts. One of his defeats came when well beaten in last year’s Champion Hurdle but he’s shown improved form over longer trips on his last two outings. Stepped up to two and a half miles first of all, he turned the tables on Honeysuckle when having her back in third in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December and was a wide-margin winner under his Grade 1 penalty on his first try at three miles in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran in January, earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag, though had a weaker field to beat there. Those efforts give him as good a chance as any in this field.

Gold Tweet (169+) had done much of his racing in France for Gabriel Leenders over fences and over shorter trips, showing no better than useful form, so sprung something of a surprise when successful in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham in January when evidently well suited by the longer trip, readily quickening clear on leading after the last from Dashel Drasher and Paisley Park who take him on again here (see below). A reproduction of that effort gives him place chances at least.

Blazing Khal (170p) has had his problems, having had more than a year off the track, but kept his unbeaten record over hurdles for Charles Byrnes (winner of this with Solwhit) when returning from that absence to win the Boyne Hurdle at Navan last month, typically travelling well and well on top at the finish in beating Leopardstown’s Christmas Hurdle third Meet And Greet by three lengths. Two of Blazing Khal’s three wins over hurdles as a novice came at Cheltenham, one of those over three miles, and he’s open to further improvement.

Klassical Dream (172), for ‘Hot Trainer’ Willie Mullins, was sent off favourite for last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle, having beaten Flooring Porter at Leopardstown earlier that season, but finished only fifth. In Flooring Porter’s absence, he then went on to win the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown for the second year running and, in contrast to last year, has been kept fresh for Cheltenham this season, not having run since splitting Teahupoo and Honeysuckle in the Hatton’s Grace when going down by just a neck.

Home By The Lee (169) was sixth in this last year when outrunning his odds of 33/1 but has fared better still this term, having Flooring Porter behind him in fourth both times when springing a surprise in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan in November and typically found plenty when following up in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown. Ashdale Bob (164) was placed in both those races – runner-up at Leopardstown – and was also second to Klassical Dream at Punchestown after finishing third in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham last year, so faces a stiffish task here.

Paisley Park (168), another with the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag, won this in 2019 and has finished third in the last two renewals and showed that he retains plenty of ability when winning the Long Walk Hurdle, run this season at Kempton, for a third time. While he was only third behind Gold Tweet when bidding to win his fourth Cleeve Hurdle, that was an insufficient test for Paisley Park who needs a real slog these days and he meets the winner on better terms here.

Dashel Drasher (163) is a likeable type for ‘Hot Trainer’ Jeremy Scott and was runner-up in the Relkeel Hurdle here before going down by three lengths to Gold Tweet last time and if adopting his usual tactics he could ensure that Flooring Porter doesn’t have things all his own way up front this year.

Henri Le Farceur (161) is the other French runner and an Auteuil regular where he has won three times in the last twelve months. He comes here on the back of a smart effort in December when winning the Group 2 Prix Leon Olry-Roederer but was a long way behind Klassical Dream when that one was runner-up in the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil last May and is yet to show he stays three miles.

Sire du Berlais (161) is making his sixth Festival appearance, having twice won the Pertemps Final and finishing runner-up to Flooring Porter in this two years ago. While he had that rival back in second more recently in the Liverpool Hurdle last April, he hasn’t made much impact in his latter starts nor looked the most enthusiastic.

Timeform Analyst’s Verdict:

An open renewal but Teahupoo has taken his form to another level this season, holding off Klassical Dream in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse before easily defying a penalty in a Grade 2 at Gowran over this trip, so Gordon Elliott's six-year-old could be the answer. Flooring Porter hasn't had the ideal preparation but must be respected as he bids for a third straight win in this, while French raider Gold Tweet shouldn't be underestimated given the manner of his win in the Cleeve Hurdle over course and distance.

Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings

174 Teahupoo

173 Flooring Porter

172 Klassical Dream

170p Blazing Khal

169+ Gold Tweet

169 Home By The Lee

168 Paisley Park

164 Ashdale Bob

163 Dashel Drasher

161 Henri Le Farceur

161 Sire du Berlais

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