Will Teahupoo land another Stayers? The Stayers' Hurdle is seemingly at the mercy of reigning champ Teahupoo as Gordon Elliott's contender bids to retain the crown he won in good style last spring. He's quite a lightly-raced sort and doesn't appear on the racecourse too often, but if he's as good as last time, he looks set to take all the beating. Is Teahupoo a good thing and, if not, where are the biggest dangers going to emerge from? Case for the champ Now an eight-year-old, Teahupoo could be in the prime of his life as he bears down on a third run in the Stayers' Hurdle. After finishing down the field as Honeysuckle won the Champion Hurdle in 2022, the Robcour inmate was inched out by a nose when Sire Du Berlais won the Stayers' 12 months later. Davy Russell felt hard done by that day as the third home, Dashel Drasher, twice took him off a straight line and there was just a nose splitting Teahupoo and stablemate Sire Du Berlais as they flashed past the post. Last March there was compensation as Jack Kennedy brought him through to challenge dual Stayers' winner Flooring Porter before going on to win well by nearly four lengths. Teahupoo wouldn't look out of place in the Aintree Hurdle over 2m4f but he stays the 3m trip at Cheltenham strongly. Teahupoo doesn't stand a lot of racing. In his first full season at Cullentra, he won his first three starts before beating just one horse home in Grade 1 starts at Cheltenham and Punchestown over 2m. Season two saw him win the Hatton's Grace and Galmoy Hurdle in Ireland before that slender loss at Cheltenham and then finishing fourth to Klassical Dream in the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown. Last time it was the Hatton's Grace in December and straight to Cheltenham, where he produced his best fresh. With a six-week break he easily followed up at Punchestown, leaving him unbeaten last season. Teahupoo was second to Lossiemouth in the Hatton's Grace this time - no poor reflection over 2m4f against a top-class mare with speed - and recent dispatches from Elliott suggest his charge is on track for the Cotswolds as planned. Assessing the challengers Perhaps the most compelling case for Teahupoo in the Stayers' is a lack of viable alternatives. He's still only an eight-year-old and might not need to be any better than he was last term to win again. Flooring Porter chased him home last season but is out of the picture. He was being readied for a Grand National challenge before injury sidelined him. Home By The Lee (third), Buddy One (fourth), Asterion Forlonge (sixth) and Crambo (eighth) could return for the race again. Fergal O'Brien's Crambo won the Long Walk at Ascot in December for the second year running but misfired in the Cleeve Hurdle on Trials Day — again — and has plenty to prove given that he was nearly 15 lengths behind in this race a year ago. Home By The Lee is a fair sort with two Irish wins under his belt this campaign, but he's headed for a fourth crack at this race and last year's third was his best effort. He's a 10-year-old now. Mystical Power is a possible Willie Mullins wildcard but he has never raced beyond two miles. Staffordshire Knot and The Wallpark are emerging sorts for Gordon Elliott, but can they dethrone their stablemate? Henry de Bromhead's Hiddenvalley Lake fluffed his lines in the Galmoy Hurdle after pushing Crambo all the way at Ascot, while Strong Leader has it all to prove after a Cleeve Hurdle defeat behind Gowel Road, Monmiral and Botox Has, none of whom appear to have the class to win this. Verdict Teahupoo is the best staying hurdler around and his connections have adopted the sort of patient approach that is demanded to tease out his optimal form on the biggest of days. He's in his prime and if he runs a similar race to last March, a second Cheltenham Festival win beckons. It looks like his crown to lose. Get €60 in FREE BETS with the BetVictor sign up offer:
