Gordon Elliott has played second fiddle to Willie Mullins over in Ireland once again but still has a yard packed with quality horses.

He’ll be looking to make an impact at the Punchestown Festival this week and the County Meath-based trainer has some good chances.

Teahupoo won the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2024 and ran out an impressive winner at Punchestown last year too. Clearly a horse who thrives in the spring, he’s going to prove hard to beat in the Champion Stayers Hurdle once again.

The best in the division?

Gordon Elliott campaigns this horse very conservatively, which arguably worked against him when runner-up behind course specialist Bob Olinger in the Stayers’ Hurdle in March. He was probably an unlucky second in 2023, but came out on top a year later, beating two-time winner Flooring Porter by a cosy margin.

He made his seasonal debut in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse and there’s no shame in getting beaten by Lossiemouth over 2m4f. Teahupoo then arrived at Cheltenham after a 102-day absence and may well have needed the run slightly.

Bob Olinger is a tough nut to crack at Cheltenham, but Teahupoo’s overall form over three miles indicates that he’s probably the better staying hurdler. His six-and-a-half length victory in this very race last year makes him very much the one to beat.

Grade 2 winner at four

The French import made his debut at Auteuil for Gabriel Leenders and kept on nicely to win over 2m2f on heavy ground. He then bolted up at Fairyhouse on his first start for current connections and a few of the beaten horses went on to win subsequently.

A step up in grade then followed and he duly obliged in Grade 3 company at the same track, pulling seven lengths clear of the runner-up. His hurdles winning streak was then ended by Cheltenham Festival winner Jeff Kidder in a Grade 2.

Teahupoo began the next campaign with an impressive defeat of Triumph Hurdle winner Quilixios in the Fishery Lane Hurdle and gained revenge over Jeff Kidder in the process.

Further success then followed in a Grade 2 at Limerick and he ended up in the Champion Hurdle that season.

Made for three miles

Stepping up to 2m3½f in the Hatton’s Grace the following season, that was clearly a smart move, as he managed to get the better of Klassical Dream, but needed every yard of it. Another step up in trip was the logical move and we began to see his full potential.

Gowran’s Galmoy Hurdle was next on the agenda and he bolted up by 15 lengths on his first attempt over three miles. A narrow defeat in the Stayers’ Hurdle then followed but he was a bit disappointing in this race back in 2023.

Can he win the race again?

The son of Masked Marvel produced one of his best performances to win this race by six-and-a-half lengths last year. Asterion Forlonge, Home By the Lee and Franciscan Rock were well beaten behind him and are set to oppose once again.

One would imagine Teahupoo can improve for his last run and will prove hard to beat if producing his best form once again.

Aintree winner Hiddenvalley Lake and the progressive Rocky’s Diamond are likely to provide the strongest challenge, but both will need to step up in order to compete with Gordon Elliott’s runner.