Stayers' Hurdle 2026 Tips - Pre-season guide and selections

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: Tue 25 Nov 2025 13:51

Jon Vine 25 Nov 2025

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Pre-season guide and tips for the 2026 Stayers' Hurdle
Teahupoo leads Ballyburn in the early betting
Honesty Policy is our ante-post selection at 25/1

Bob Olinger (right) jumps the final hurdle ahead of Teahupoo and goes on to win the Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle. (Getty)

The Stayers' Hurdle headlines day three of the Cheltenham Festival - although the Ryanair Chase has been moved to the same 4:00pm time slot as the Championship races on days one, two and four.

Here's our ante-post guide to the 2026 Stayers' Hurdle. We’ll examine how the 2026 Stayers’ Hurdle field is developing - analysing the latest betting, discussing the key staying hurdlers, and revealing our top ante-post selection ahead of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.

2026 Stayers' Hurdle Odds

Name	Odds
Teahupoo	4/1
Ballyburn	9/2
The Yellow Clay	10/1
Bob Olinger	12/1
Wodhooh	14/1
Poniros	14/1
Bar	16/1

👑 The Defending Champion 👑

The Robcour colours were carried to victory in the Stayers' Hurdle again last season, but it was a different culprit in the winner's enclosure. Jack Kennedy ushered defending champion, Teahupoo to the front, but eyes were drawn to Bob Olinger, who had been smuggled into contention masterfully by Rachael Blackmore, and Henry De Bromhead's star stretched two lengths clear on the run to the line.

De Bromhead said in his stable tour that Bob Olinger will only run once before heading back to Cheltenham to defend his crown. Heading to the Festival fresh was a tactic that worked 12 months ago, but Blackmore's mount will be 11 by the time the 2026 Cheltenham Festival rolls around. Older horses have a poor record in Grade One races at the Festival.

⭐ Top Stars ⭐

Gordon Elliott had tailored Teahupoo's whole campaign around the defence of his Stayers' Hurdle crown, and will have been gutted to see his star beaten by Bob Olinger. Elliott's eight-year-old romped to victory on his final start at Punchestown, and Elliott plans to keep his star hurdler busier this season, if the weather decides to play ball.

Having failed to make the grade over fences, Willie Mullins intends to drop Ballyburn back to hurdling this season. Elliott's top novice from last season, The Yellow Clay will also remain over hurdles this term, and three miles will be right up his street.

🏆 Dangerous Challengers 🏆

Gordon Elliott could point Irish Point at the Stayers' Hurdle, when the former Champion Hurdle runner up makes his return from injury. Honesty Policy ended his novice campaign with a Grade One win at Aintree, and he too could remain over hurdles during the upcoming campaign.

After the Mares' Hurdle was moved to the same course-and-distance as the Martin Pipe, Wodhooh will likely be aimed at that Group One, but could turn up here if she cries out for three miles. Poniros returned a humongous price when landing the Triumph Hurdle last year, and he'll likely be campaigned as a three-miler during the upcoming campaign.

Willie Mullins has earmarked the Stayers' Hurdle for Mystical Power again, despite Paul Townend pulling his star up in this year's contest. Shark Hanlon has already mentioned this Grade One as the Cheltenham target for Hewick, with Home By The Lee likely to represent Joseph O'Brien for a fifth successive season.

Potters Charm will be campaigned as a three-mile hurdler this term. Ma Shantou looked capable of progressing to this sort of level when scoring in a Pertemps Qualifier at the Showcase Meeting. Nemean Lion, Monmiral and Crambo will likely feature in the home challenge too.

honesty policy aintree — Honesty Policy ridden by jockey Mark Walsh (L) wins the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle race ahead of Regents Stroll ridden by jockey Harry Cobden (R) during Grand National Day. (Getty)

💵 Verdict 💵

Given how open this division is, I won't be chancing anything at a short price. Potters Charm offers plenty of value at 33/1, and I wouldn't be shocked if Ma Shantou was taken down the Paisley Park route to the Cheltenham Festival.

I'm sure JP McManus would like to have at least one runner in this Championship race. With The Wallpark set to go over fences, there's a chance that HONESTY POLICY could remain over the smaller obstacles.

Gordon Elliott's youngster made impressive progress during his novice campaign. Honesty Policy won maiden hurdles at Navan and Leopardstown, before claiming a cosy victory in the Mersey Novices' Hurdle on Grand National day. Mark Walsh's mount then gave Jasmin De Vaux a fright in the three-mile Grade One at Punchestown, where he jumped the last better than Willie Mullins' Albert Bartlett winner before eventually succumbing to defeat.

Jasmin De Vaux was favourite for the 2026 Stayers' Hurdle before he was ruled out for the season. Elliott said in his stable tour that Honesty Policy could well resume over hurdles, and he could prove good enough to join stablemates Teahupoo and The Yellow Clay in this historic contest.

Verdict

Honesty Policy is our ante-post tip for the 2026 Stayers' Hurdle.

Honesty Policy

Stayers' Hurdle 2026 Early Tips

@25/1 - 5 Units

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