This historic Grade One headlines day three of the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday 16th March
Teahupoo and Home By The Lee look solid at the head of the market
Klassical Dream is our ante-post selection at 8/1
Klassical Dream jumps the last on his way to winning the 2019 Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham. (Getty)
St Patrick's Day at the Cheltenham Festival is headlined by the Stayers' Hurdle, one of the oldest races in all of National Hunt racing. This three-mile contest always provides fantastic entertainment for the crown on day three and this year's contest is looking as open as ever.
Following recent events at Gowran Park and Cheltenham, I've taken a look through the 2023 Stayers' Hurdle betting and picked out my best ante-post bet.
Teahupoo became the first horse to beat Honeysuckle on his reappearance in the Hatton's Grace. Gordon Elliott's charge then leaped to the head of the Stayers' betting following a 15-length romp in the Galmoy Hurdle, where Davy Russell's mount produced a superb turn-of-foot between the final two flights to put the race to bed.
Sitting second is Home By The Lee, who kept on well to finish sixth in this race 12 months ago. Joseph O'Brien's charge has run out an impressive winner in both the Lismullen and Christmas Hurdles this season. On both occasions, JJ Slevin rushed his mount up to challenge Flooring Porter - a tactic no-one has ever tried around Cheltenham - while rounding the final bend, before comfortably holding his rivals at arm's length on the run to the line.
Teahupoo and Home By The Lee both hold plenty of appeal. They're the improving horses in a division that is clearly lacking in star quality. On the day, I may back one of the two - probably Teahupoo if there's any cut in the ground - but for the purposes of an ante-post bet, I'm happy to back one at a longer price.
Stayers' Hurdle 2023 Tips - Klassical Dream
I won't be entertaining any of the British horses. French raider Gold Tweet was sent over to Trials Day as a mere scouting mission and ended up thrashing the best stayers England has to offer. Gold Tweet will now be supplemented into the Stayers' Hurdle, but Gabriel Leender's charge will find the Irish a much tougher nut to crack.
Blazing Khal sits third in the market, despite the fact he hasn't been seen since December 2021 and Charles Byrnes would need to get a run into his seven-year-old before heading to Cheltenham. Flooring Porter hasn't been himself this season and, after meeting a set-back, his participation in a third Cheltenham Festival is also up in the air.
I'm not convinced Ashdale Bob will see out three miles around Cheltenham. Zanahiyr, who I backed at the start of the season, has run woefully on both of his outings this term, as have Beacon Edge and Sire Du Berlais. Willie Mullins accounts for eight of the remaining 28 entrants, but only one or two seem likely to even run.
Teahupoo (right) gets up to beat Klassical Dream (centre) and Honeysuckle (left) in the Hatton's Grace. (Getty)
Mullins' may have to rely solely on KLASSICAL DREAM, who also has fitness doubts heading into Cheltenham. Mullins' star ran a blinder on his return to action in the Hatton's Grace, where he was only beaten a neck by Teahupoo. Klassical Dream was then forced to miss the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown, after which Mullins said the team faced a race against time to have their top stayer fit for Cheltenham.
Given bet365 has attached Non-Runner No Bet stipulations to the Stayers' Hurdle, Klassical Dream is a risk-free option. If he doesn't make it to Cheltenham, you can roll your stake over onto Teahupoo or Home By The Lee. If he does prove his fitness in time, then the fact he arrives at the Festival fresh could be a blessing in disguise.
Klassical Dream has always produced his best performances on the back of a break. Mullins' star romped to victory in the Champion Stayers' at Punchestown on his only start of the 2020/21 season and Paul Townend's star defeated Flooring Porter on his first start of last season at Leopardstown.
Willie then made the ill-advised move of sending Klassical Dream to the Galmoy Hurdle less than a month later, where the 1/3 favourite was well-beaten on bottomless ground. Paul Townend's mount then finished a tired fifth in last year's Stayers', having tanked his way into contention, and only narrowly managed to defend his crown at Punchestown.
Some will look at his finishing effort in last year's renewal and claim Willie Mullins' charge doesn't see out three miles around Cheltenham. Yet, I fancy a fit and fresh Klassical Dream will have no trouble seeing out this distance. On his day, Mullins' star is capable of an outstanding performance and he's by far the best value bet in the oldest Championship race at the Cheltenham Festival.
Verdict
If Klassical Dream makes it to Cheltenham, then there's no doubt he has the ability to win the Stayers' Hurdle and his best chance of doing that is on the back of a break. 8/1 represents good each-way value.
2023 Stayers' Hurdle Tips: Klassical Dream Each-Way @8/1 at bet365 - 15 Units
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