Tag Archive for: Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle

Bob Olinger battles to dethrone Stayers’ Hurdle champ Teahupoo

Bob Olinger maintained his flawless Cheltenham Festival record when storming up the hill to take the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle under Rachael Blackmore.

Henry de Bromhead’s 10-year-old was seemingly the second string for owners Robcour, with their reigning champion Teahupoo the 7-4 favourite for Gordon Elliott.

It was those two horses involved in the finish as Jack Kennedy rode the latter, but after they locked horns jumping the last, it was Bob Olinger who came out on top by a length and three-quarters to triumph at 8-1.

Bob Olinger won the 2021 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and capitalised on the fall of Galopin Des Champs in the following year’s Turners Novices’ Chase.

De Bromhead said: “It’s unbelievable, a super ride from Rachael and great work from all the team at home. To get him back like that is incredible and I’m delighted for everyone.

“Davy Roche, my assistant, he’d take a bullet for him – he adores him. He said he worked well the other day and he’ll be ecstatic.

“He’s just a class horse and he was unbeaten here. I was at a preview event a few weeks ago and I wasn’t looking at the betting, but he was 66-1 and I was thinking ‘oh my God’, I couldn’t believe it.

“He’s a bit of a poser and a dude who loves the attention and deserves every bit he gets. He comes alive here and obviously loves it here.

Cheltenham Festival 2025 – St Patrick’s Thursday – Cheltenham Racecourse
Rachael Blackmore celebrates winning the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Mike Egerton/PA).

“We had a couple of funny years with him, but he’s back now. You always hope they’ll come back and win another big one, but I never foresee anything winning anything!

“You live the dream and you hope and try to maintain them as well as you can. It’s so hard to get a good horse, so when you get a good one, you want to try and maintain them for as long as you can and I really feel we try to do that.

“It’s brilliant for Rachael. She’s just so good and is such a professional who works so hard. When she came back from injury our horses hit a bad patch of form, but she just does what she does – she’s class.”

Owner Brian Acheson added: “To see Bob coming up the hill like that when I didn’t think he would stay well, it was a dream.

“We ran him at Navan and then decided to wait for Rachael, who gets on so well with him.

“He came out of the clouds today and I said here comes the dude, because that’s what he is – a dude.”

Cheltenham Festival 2025 – St Patrick’s Thursday – Cheltenham Racecourse
Bob Olinger ridden by jockey Rachael Blackmore (right) on their way to beating Teahupoo (left) (Adam Davy/PA).

Blackmore said: “We were very hopeful coming here, but for him to do it is fantastic.

“He’s a phenomenal horse and he’s unbeaten here. I know one day it was a fortuitous win after Galopin Des Champs fell at the last, but you need that bit of luck and today is a great day.

“He was a great ride everywhere today. He’s got speed and was able to use it at the end.

“When you’re riding for Henry, it’s a great help.

“It’s an incredible place, it’s where every jockey wants to be and I’ve been very lucky here. Any time you go up onto that podium, it’s very special.”

Teahupoo strikes Stayers’ gold for Elliott

Gordon Elliott notched back-to-back victories in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle as Teahupoo stormed up the Cheltenham hill for Festival glory.

The seven-year-old could only finish third behind veteran stablemate Sire Du Berlais when sent off the 9-4 favourite 12 months ago, but made no mistake on his return to Prestbury Park in the hands of Jack Kennedy – who along with the Cullentra House handler was getting off the mark for the week.

Sent off the well-backed 5-4 favourite having not been seen since claiming a second Hatton’s Grace in December, he was ridden with plenty of confidence and also plenty of daylight as he charted a wide path on his latest trip to the Cotswolds.

Gordon Elliott (right) with jockey Jack Kennedy at the trophy presentation
Gordon Elliott (right) with jockey Jack Kennedy at the trophy presentation (Mike Egerton/PA)

Kennedy inched his mount into contention two out and although not fluent at the penultimate flight, he was hot on the tail of Flooring Porter as the business end approached.

Fellow Irish raiders Home By The Lee and Buddy One were also in the mix on the long run to the last but Teahupoo soon cemented his dominance and having jumped the final flight with a narrow advantage, he was not for catching in the closing stages as he sprinted clear of the gallant Flooring Porter.

Elliott said: “He’s best fresh so we said we’d come straight here. Listen, it’s great to get a winner. They’ve been running well, just hitting the crossbar, they’ve had no excuses but to win the Stayers’ Hurdle is unbelievable and I’m delighted for the whole team.

“It’s difficult to tell myself to stay patient when you don’t have a winner, it’s been a long couple of days but they’ve bene running well. We’ve got one now. This was always going to be our best day, this was one of our biggest guns.

“I was a little anxious when he missed the second-last and then he probably got there too soon because he had to give him a squeeze.

“I think he’s a stronger horse this year and saddling him I thought he’d grown.

“He’ll stay hurdling, we’ll never say never but at the moment he’ll stay hurdling. There are some nice races at Aintree and Punchestown for him so we’ll have a look at those.”

Gavin Cromwell was pleased with the effort of Flooring Porter (right)
Gavin Cromwell was pleased with the effort of Flooring Porter (right) (Mike Egerton/PA)

Of Flooring Porter, Gavin Cromwell said: “I’m delighted with the run, obviously you hate standing in the second place but that’s just the nature of the beast and I don’t think we could have done anything any differently.

“It was a very game performance, he was headed and tried all the way to the line. He was a good second and the winner is a worthy winner.

“We’ll have to consider going to Aintree, we’ll digest this first and we’ll see.

“He’s been a warrior and please God he’s not finished just yet.”

Home By The Lee was third for Joseph O’Brien, who said: “It’s nice to see him come back to himself with two fantastic horses in front of us.”

Paul Gilligan said of the fourth-placed Buddy One: “It was an absolutely super run and if the ground was just a touch better it would have suited him better, but I’m not complaining as to get in this semi-circle here is where you want to be.

“Obviously we were in the winning spot in November and we’ll try to get back in the winning spot here again sometime.

“He was very sore in his back after his last run in Leopardstown and scoped a little wrong as well. He has now proved that he is the horse that we think he is.

“As I’ve said all along it’s horses for courses and he loves this place.

“I’d say I’ll go over fences next season looking at the way he jumps, and it’s just great to have a horse like this for the three men that own him because getting people to back a small yard like ours is near impossible and they’ve invested in this horse and a couple of others. They’re just fantastic men.

“I have every confidence in this horse, he did a piece of work last week and it was just electric, so I did fancy him today.

“I definitely won’t go to Punchestown, we might go to Aintree as he ran very well last year, but we’ll see. I’m not going to abuse the horse and he’s entitled to a very good break now.”

Hopes high Teahupoo has what it takes for Stayers’ Hurdle gold

Teahupoo will look to strike when fresh in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle for Gordon Elliott at the Cheltenham Festival.

The seven-year-old was beaten just three-quarters of a length in the same race last year and returned to action this season in good form to take the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle ahead of Impaire Et Passe at Fairyhouse in early December.

He has not run since then and is expected to benefit that as he is proven to go well after a brief break.

“We’re looking forward to Teahupoo in the Stayers’ and he seems in really good form,” said Robbie Power, racing manager to owner Robcour.

“It was a very good performance in the Hatton’s Grace and we’ve changed things up this year coming straight here.

Teahupoo after winning the Hatton's Grace
Teahupoo after winning the Hatton’s Grace (Brian Lawless/PA)

“The big thing for him is he’s a better horse when he’s fresh and all his runs after a 50-odd day break he has won. We think that is the key to him.

“He didn’t get the rub of the green in the race last year and hopefully if things go well this year he will take plenty of beating. He deserves to win a Stayers’ and we’re giving him every chance.”

Elliott also runs reigning champion Sire Du Berlais, who followed up last year’s victory with success in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

Flooring Porter landed the race in both 2021 and 2022 before finishing fourth last season, after which he switched to jumping fences in the first half of the current campaign.

Flooring Porter winning the Stayers' Hurdle in 2022
Flooring Porter winning the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2022 (Steven Paston/PA)

He was not without success as a chaser but connections ultimately decided to return to the Stayers’ Hurdle in a bid for a third triumph and veto the alternative option of the National Hunt Chase.

“He’s in good shape and we’re looking forward to it. I hope the ground dries out a little bit, I hope it’s not too deep, so we’ll see what happens,” said trainer Gavin Cromwell.

“He’s had a few schooling sessions over hurdles and they’ve gone well, he’s a very intelligent horse so I don’t see it (switching from fences) being a problem.

“When you see what Corbetts Cross (facile National Hunt Chase winner) did on Tuesday I’d say we dodged a bullet there and we’re happy to be running in the Stayers’ again.”

The British challenge is led by Fergal O’Brien’s Crambo, winner of the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot when last seen.

Fergal O’Brien stands with Crambo during a visit to his yard at Ravenswell Farm
Fergal O’Brien stands with Crambo during a visit to his yard at Ravenswell Farm (Adam Davy/PA)

The seven-year-old beat Paisley Park, Dashel Drasher and Champ on that occasion and looks to be on an upward trajectory in a career that has already yielded seven wins from 10 starts.

“He’s in great form, I’m very happy with him and he has trained very well,” said O’Brien.

“We’ve had a great preparation, he’s just improved and improved for us.

“He doesn’t show a lot at home, everything he’s shown us is what he’s shown on the track and we couldn’t be more pleased with him.

“He’s won on everything, he won on good ground at Ascot and he’s won on heavy at Sandown last year so I can’t see that as an issue for him.

“We’ve our fingers crossed he can get his head in front.”

Jeremy Scott's Dashel Drasher
Jeremy Scott’s Dashel Drasher (David Davies/PA)

Jeremy Scott runs the hugely popular Dashel Drasher, with Emma Lavelle also set to saddle a fan favourite in the 12-year-old Paisley Park.

Winner of the race in 2019, he has run every year since and finished in third place in both 2021 and 2022.

Willie Mullins has three chances, with Sir Gerhard seemingly the leading hope as the mount of Paul Townend, while Asterion Forlonge will be ridden by Patrick Mullins and Janidil by Jody McGarvey.

Emmet Mullins’ Noble Yeats, the 2022 Grand National hero, will be partnered by Harry Cobden again after the duo beat Paisley Park to land the Cleeve Hurdle in January.

Joseph O’Brien runs Home By The Lee, with the field of 12 completed by Paul Gilligan’s Buddy One, three times a winner already this season.

“He seems to like this course and he has travelled over really well,” Gilligan said.

“He seems well in himself and although it is a big step up, I’m very happy with him and I think he will run with a lot of credit. I think he will run very well.”

Sire Du Berlais is a Festival hero once again

Sire Du Berlais ground down Dashel Drasher late on in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle as the big-race outsiders fought out a thrilling finish to the Cheltenham Festival’s day three feature.

At one stage it looked as if Flooring Porter was about to join the Festival immortals and secure his third straight victory in the race, but his tank emptied quicker than in the previous two years and he was passed heading to the last by Dashel Drasher who set sail for home in the hands of Rex Dingle.

A length to the good jumping the final flight, Jeremy Scott’s admirable 10-year-old stuck his head down as the Gordon Elliott-trained pair of Sire Du Berlais and Teahupoo were breathing down his neck.

But while the 5-2 favourite could not get by in the hands of Davy Russell, Dashel Drasher had no answer to the late thrust of the JP McManus-owned 33-1 shot who edged his way to a three-quarters of a length verdict.

Dashel Drasher was a brave second at 40-1 and Teahupoo a further neck back in third – but there was a change to the placings in the stewards’ room as it was deemed Dashel Drasher had caused interference at the last that was sufficient to deny Teahupoo second spot.

A runner-up behind Flooring Porter in this in 2021 and also a dual winner of the Pertemps in both 2019 and 2020, the 11-year-old Sire Du Berlais was somewhat the forgotten horse of the race and handed Cullentra House handler Elliott his first victory in this premier staying hurdling contest.

Elliott said: “After a hurdle or two I knew he was in a good rhythm. Of course it’s a surprise, but Sire Du Berlais can do that – he’s either first or last.

“He stayed on well up the hill in fairness to him and Mark (Walsh) gave him a brilliant ride.

Connections with Sire Du Berlais
Connections with Sire Du Berlais (Mike Egerton/PA)

“It’s great to win the race. We were beaten a short head in a Grade One yesterday (with Gerri Colombe), but it’s a great game and it’s great to be here.

“We couldn’t get him qualified for the Pertemps Final. It just didn’t work out for us with ground one day and he probably didn’t look that well handicapped.

“He doesn’t do anything too exciting as he minds himself, but that’s why he’s still going at his age.

“I thought Teahupoo would win. He travelled into it and ran well.”

Walsh has had a bad run of luck with injuries but made it back in time for Cheltenham.

“It was a bit of a rush to get back, but thankfully I got back with the help of all the surgeons and doctors,” he said. “I fractured vertebrae in my neck at the Dublin Racing Festival, but it healed quick so I’m back.

“He is brilliant and he loves this place. He never knows when he is beaten. A good gallop suited and he travelled great for him, as usually he can be on and off the bridle but he travelled great and jumped great.

“Gordon had him spot on today so all credit to him. He loves it around here and he is a joy to ride so it is brilliant to win on him.

“They always say horses for courses and he loves it here and it is great to get a big one on him today. I’m delighted he was able to be here and take part in this and win it. It is great to get another big one at the Festival.”

McManus said: “I thought he ran well in Navan the last day as he was giving a lot of weight away and was running on well at the end. I thought he deserved to take his chance.

JP McManus and Gordon Elliott
JP McManus and Gordon Elliott (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I’ve not had too many 33-1 winners here. Creon won at a big price, as did Kadoun (both 50-1 in the Pertemps Final). This fellow I’m afraid went unbacked! We’ll enjoy it just the same.

“Gordon has done some job on the horse. We were kind of training him for the Pertemps, but he didn’t get qualified and as a result he was in the Stayers’.

“I must say I thought he had a little chance and after the last I felt he would run up the hill well and give it his lot.”

Scott, speaking before Dashel Drasher was placed third, said: “We came here but we weren’t necessarily thinking we belonged here as we hadn’t had the easiest lead into the race, but he just started bouncing again so we came.

“I’m delighted. Obviously I would have loved to have finished in the other spot, but I’m very proud of him.

“It’s the first time my wife has come to watch him and she bred him and quite frankly does most of the training so it was lovely to have her here.”

Russell said of Teahupoo: “He jumped great, he missed the second-last but I didn’t need it as I wasn’t under pressure.

“I just couldn’t get upsides Dashel Drasher in the straight, he kept going left then right and if I’d got upsides him I might have been all right.

“Off the back of the last he just kept going the same pace but he’s run a lovely race, he’s only six. I’d say Gordon’s a lot happier with this result than I am!”

Gavin Cromwell said of the defending champion Flooring Porter: “He looked his old self, he went a right good gallop, Danny (Mullins) just felt he couldn’t get a breather into him but he ran a good, solid race.

“He ran a gallant race, five or six weeks ago it wasn’t looking like we’d be here but the last three weeks I was confident he’d run a solid race.”

Blazing Khal steps up for Stayers’ task after troubled prep

Blazing Khal faces his toughest task yet at Cheltenham on Thursday when he attempts to extend his five-race winning streak in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle.

His participation in the day three feature has been a hot topic of discussion in the build up to the Festival and one that intensified once trainer Charles Byrnes revealed the seven-year-old suffered a cut during his impressive comeback victory in the Boyne Hurdle – subsequently facing a race against time to secure his place in the field.

The Ballynoe Stables handler is relieved to be in touching distance of getting Blazing Khal to the start line for his first run in Grade One company.

“It’s been well documented, his preparation, but I can’t change anything. That’s gone and we have him here and we can now just hope for the best,” said Byrnes.

“We’re pleased to get him here, we would have preferred a better preparation, but we will make the most of it and hope the horse and jockey come back safe.

“He’s beat lesser company so far and it’s a big step up to Grade One company from what he has been up against, but we will try to make the most of it.”

Blazing Khal will be ridden by Byrnes’ son Philip as the trainer bids for a second Stayers’ Hurdle victory following Solwhit 10 years ago.

Blazing Khal on the way to winning the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2021
Blazing Khal on the way to winning the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2021 (David Davies/PA)

“It’s a massive day and a massive family occasion,” continued Ballingarry-based Byrnes.

“But as far as we’re concerned, there is no pressure as he hasn’t had the ideal preparation and we’re here and hoping more than anything.

“It would be lovely to win it again, but Solwhit was an exceptional horse. He won eight Grade Ones while Blazing Khal is yet to win one. They don’t make Solwhits too often.”

Blazing Khal will have to lower the colours of Flooring Porter, who after his own struggles to make the Festival, returns to his old stomping ground looking for a third-straight victory in Thursday’s main event.

“He’s had an interrupted preparation, but we’re pretty happy with him and hopefully he can run a big race,” said trainer Gavin Cromwell.

Jockey Danny Mullins celebrates on Flooring Porter after winning the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022
Jockey Danny Mullins celebrates on Flooring Porter after winning the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 (Steven Paston/PA)

“He knows how to win around the track which is a big positive. It’s not going to be an easy task, it’s a very good renewal of the race and we’re probably a little bit up against it, but he is the horse who has the form in the race.

“Everyone is very excited now and looking forward to it.”

Teahupoo was the first horse to down Honeysuckle when capturing the Hatton’s Grace earlier this season and followed up by winning Gowran’s Galmoy Hurdle to put himself firmly in the Stayers’ Hurdle mix.

“We were trying to make him a quicker horse than he is last year running over two miles, but he looks to have found his niche over longer trips,” said trainer Gordon Elliott, who also saddles 2021 runner-up Sire Du Berlais.

Teahupoo will bid to give Gordon Elliott his first win in the Stayers' Hurdle
Teahupoo will bid to give Gordon Elliott his first win in the Stayers’ Hurdle (Niall Carson/PA)

“If you’d spoken to me this time last year, I’d have said he had a squeak in the Champion Hurdle, but he was just run off his feet.

“He’s a good horse and Davy (Russell, jockey) said he’s better for knowing. He said he got there too soon the last day, as he’s so relaxed and then he grabs hold and goes.

“He’s a young horse on the way up. He was good in the Hatton’s Grace and he was equally as good in Gowran.

“He’s a fair horse. He doesn’t do anything exciting at home, but he seems to do it on the track.”

The Irish challenge is further strengthened by Joseph O’Brien’s Home By The Lee, who accounted for a useful cast in Navan’s Lismullen Hurdle before proving that was no fluke when running out a three-length winner of the Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

“He goes there with a big chance. He is fit and well and his preparation has gone great,” said O’Brien.

“We are looking forward to the race. It looks a really strong Stayers’ Hurdle this year, but we are right in the mix.

“He likes being fresh, so it was always the plan to go straight from Christmas to Cheltenham.”

Ashdale Bob was runner-up to Home By The Lee in the Christmas Hurdle and is another raider from the Emerald Isle in the line up along with Willie Mullins’ former Festival hero Klassical Dream, while there is a continental flavour to the contest with two runners from France taking part.

Gabriel Leenders’ Gold Tweet caused an upset when romping to Cleeve Hurdle success on Festival Trials Day and he is joined by Hugo Merienne’s Henri Le Farceur.

“He jumps his hurdles very fast and he’s a very strong horse. He’s not big, but he’s very strong and if we follow (the pace) he’ll have a fast finish, which is perfect for an English race,” said Leenders.

“We’ve trained him for every possibility and if the race is fast or steady, it’s not a problem. The jockey will keep relaxed and it won’t be a problem, he will be ready.”

Merienne added: “Henri Le Farceur likes the distance and I think he’ll like the track. It’s a challenge but we’ll see. He’ll need to come and improve but we will try.

“We were actually thinking about whether to go to Kempton over Christmas, but the horse had a hard race at Auteuil and we gave him a few weeks off. When Gold Tweet won, the horse was in really good form and back in training and we thought we’d come over.

“There’s a lot of French trainers who’ve won in England and a few have come here already, it’s like a dream to come here. It’s like the World Cup and we’ll try our best.”

There are just two British-trained contenders – Dashel Drasher and Paisley Park – who were second and third respectively behind Gold Tweet in the Cleeve.

Emma Lavelle believes she has her 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle hero in top form ahead of his fifth run in the race and is crossing her fingers the popular 11-year-old can roll back the years.

She said: “He’s amazing to keep pulling it out the bag the way he has over the year and he certainly seems in good order.

Paisley Park is an ever-present in the Stayers' Hurdle
Paisley Park is an ever-present in the Stayers’ Hurdle (David Davies/PA)

“It looks a competitive renewal, but we know he loves Cheltenham, we know he loves that course and, touch wood, he has had a good preparation since his run in the Cleeve. Hopefully there will be plenty of pace and we see him flying up the hill at the finish.

“The ground is a positive for him in that it will probably slow the others up a bit, but to be honest I don’t think he really cares too much about the ground. He doesn’t like that really tacky ground, but outside of that he’s quite happy with whatever is thrown at him.

“It would a phenomenal achievement (to win the race again), but he has done us so proud over the years and has won a Grade One this year. Fingers crossed he can show us all what he is capable of.”

Scott tempted by Stayers’ Hurdle for versatile Dashel Drasher

A tilt at the Stayers’ Hurdle has crept into the equation for Dashel Drasher following his game effort in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

Jeremy Scott’s versatile 10-year-old has mixed and matched fences and hurdles with real success of late, winning on his reappearance over timber at Aintree before finishing second to Grand National winner Noble Yeats on a first try at three miles in the Many Clouds Chase when returned to Merseyside the following month.

Keen to keep things fresh for the 11-time winner, the son of Passing Glance was returned to the smaller objects for his latest assignment, leading the field along for the majority of the two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two and only succumbing to the superior turn of foot of the winner, Marie’s Rock, in the closing stages.

However, what pleased Scott most about the performance was how his stable star bravely battled back for second once headed by First Street up the run-in and it is convincing the Higher Holworthy Farm handler that three miles is worth further exploration – something which could lead to an outing in the Paddy Power-sponsored Stayers’ Hurdle in March.

“I thought it was a great run, I couldn’t have been happier really without winning a race,” said Scott.

“He had a lot of decent horses in behind him and I think we’ve got half an idea that we will up him to three miles over hurdles and possibly look at running him in the Stayers’ Hurdle.

“He isn’t quite quick enough over the two and a half miles and he certainly didn’t have the turn of foot the winner had. But it was really pleasing how he fought back and beat the second horse having been headed and I think it shows an awful lot of guts, which is a very admirable feature in a racehorse.

“He got the trip OK up at Aintree and the more we run him this season the more he seems to see it out OK. His cruising speed would hopefully put one or two under pressure.”

Scott is still to decide how Dashel Drasher prepares for a possible run at the Festival, with a course-and-distance sighter in the Cleeve Hurdle (January 28) an option, but also a return to fences for the Betfair Ascot Chase (February 18) he won in 2021.

Dashel Drasher could return to his beloved Ascot to complete his Cheltenham Festival preparations
Dashel Drasher could return to his beloved Ascot to complete his Cheltenham Festival preparations (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

He continued: “We could go back chasing and I’m not worried about going chasing, but that division could be stronger at the moment. We’ll see how he comes out of this race and our original plan was to have a run in the Cleeve and see how he got on over three miles.

“That might come a bit soon, but we also have the option of going back over fences at Ascot – give him a break now and run in the Graded race he’s won before. Then go to Cheltenham after that if it all worked out.

“We will very much see how he comes out of this race, he’s absolutely fine this morning and I think he has thoroughly enjoyed his experience at Cheltenham.”