Day 3 Stayers' Hurdle Tips: 'Don't discount Bob'

St. Patrick’s Thursday is the theme for Day three of the Cheltenham Festival and we are set to be treated to another excellent seven-race card, which features no fewer than three Grade 1 races.

The Stayers’ Hurdle, one of the traditional four ‘championship races’, is one of the big highlights on the card.

Run over three miles on the new course, class alone is not enough to win this race, as an abundance of stamina is also required.

A field of 11 has been declared and our expert has picked out two selections to follow.

Selection: Ma Shantou @ 13/2 with Boylesports

Next Best: Bob Olinger @ 7/1 with Boylesports

Two previous winners go head-to-head

The Stayers’ Hurdle appeared to be an open and shut case as recently as a couple of weeks ago, but that seems to have changed. It’s become very wide-open according to the betting, with long-term favourite Teahupoo drifting out to 3/1, having been available at much shorter prices.

He has not done a lot wrong in truth and it is a positive that he ran over Christmas to get freshened up for this. Only managing second in the Stayers’ last year, however, there did not appear to be many excuses on the day and perhaps the winner, Bob Olinger, is just a better horse.

Dan Skelton ’s Kabral Du Mathan has been very popular in the betting of late and is now the clear second-favourite. He was not a very good settler last term and although he has improved in that department, his style of running perhaps is not best suited to this sort of test. Honesty Policy was behind Impose Toi in the Long Walk on his seasonal reappearance and will need to find plenty more on that evidence. Henderson’s Impose Toi has been progressive but Ma Shantou firmly dispatched him in the Cleeve Hurdle over course and distance. Ballyburn is an interesting participant and if back to his best, is definitely a player, while 11-year-old Home By The Lee has had plenty of chances. Hewick Doddiethegreat and Gwennie May Boy also make the line up but they have their work cut out.

Ma Shantou can find the improvement required to come out on top

Emma Lavelle trained the popular hurdler Paisley Park to win this race back in 2019 and she could add another to her trophy cabinet with MA SHANTOU. This horse has progressed nicely throughout the season, winning first time out in a handicap on the old course at Cheltenham.

Things did not quite go to plan at Haydock next time but he left that display well behind him when winning another handicap at Prestbury Park on New Year’s Day.

Connections decided to step him up in grade next time and that proved to be an inspired decision, as he won the Cleeve Hurdle with loads in hand.

Impose Toi was the big favourite that day, having won the Long Walk on his previous start, but Lavelle’s gelding stayed on in the testing conditions to score by seven lengths. It is probable that he will need to improve again but the seven-year-old looks fully capable of doing so.

Do not discount course specialist Bob

Course form can be a massive advantage at Cheltenham, as the stiff uphill finish does not suit every horse.

One horse who definitely enjoys his trips to Presbury Park is last year’s winner BOB OLINGER. Henry de Bromhead’s 11-year-old isn’t getting any younger but he absolutely loves it around this track.

Staying on well to score at the expense of Teahupoo last time out, it did not look like there was any fluke about that performance and the best horse won on the day.

Having also won the Ballymore (now the Turners) at Cheltenham, as a novice, one last hurrah could be on the cards.