Stayers' Hurdle 2027 Tips - Pre-season guide and selections
Jingko Blue is the ante-post each-way tip for the 2027 Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival, following a commanding BetMGM Cup win and a subsequent Select Hurdle victory. While there are some concerns about his stamina over three miles, these are attributed more to jumping errors than to a lack of staying power. His Cheltenham Festival form, positive attitude, and potential for further improvement make him a compelling option in a division prone to surprise results. Jingko Blue is considered a value contender in the current ante-post market.
- Pre-season guide and tips for the 2027 Stayers' Hurdle
- The New Lion leads Wodhooh and Zeus Power in the early Cheltenham Festival betting
- Jingko Blue is our ante-post selection at 50/1
The oldest of the four Championship races at the Cheltenham Festival is the Stayers' Hurdle, which will be run at 3:20pm on Thursday, March 18th.
Here's our ante-post guide to the 2027 Stayers' Hurdle, featuring the early-season odds, a preview of the prospective race and our best ante-post betting tips.
2027 Stayers' Hurdle Odds
| Name | Odds |
|---|---|
| The New Lion | 7/1 |
| Wodhooh | 8/1 |
| Zeus Power | 10/1 |
| Jasmin De Vaux | 12/1 |
| Jimmy Su Seuil | 12/1 |
| Bar | 16/1 |
🦁 The Early Favourite 🦁
Dan Skelton had hoped that The New Lion would be his Champion Hurdle horse at the start of last season. Harry Skelton's mount fell on his return in the Fighting Fifth but got back on track with an easy victory in the International Hurdle, and went into Tuesday's championship race as the 3/1 second-favourite.
Harry decided to take a wide route around Prestbury Park, which proved costly in the end, as The New Lion was outpaced by Lossiemouth and could only finish third. Dan Skelton's eight-year-old then seemed to be coming with a winning challenge approaching the final flight in the Aintree Hurdle, but a telling mistake allowed Brighterdaysahead to hang on and claim a two-length victory.
Before a ball was kicked this term, connections announced that they were going to explore the Stayers' Hurdle route. However, in his most recent stable tour, Skelton has intimated that The New Lion could remain over shorter trips if he continues to train on, making the favourite an uncertain proposition from an ante-post standpoint.
⭐ The Chasing Pack ⭐
Wodhooh got the better of Jade De Grugy to win the Mares' Hurdle last season and seems likely to return to that contest. Yet, if Brighterdaysahead is given a run in that Grade One, there is a chance that Gordon Elliott could step Wodhooh up to three miles at Cheltenham. She shapes like she would see out the trip.
Zeus Power followed a fantastic third behind King Rasko Grey in the Turners with a maiden Grade One victory over three miles at Aintree. Joseph O'Brien has said that his six-year-old will remain over hurdles this term and that the Stayers' Hurdle is at the forefront of his thoughts.
Jasmin De Vaux has won the Champion Bumper and the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival and will likely go down the Stayers' route when he returns from injury. Willie Mullins could also be represented by former Coral Cup winner Jimmy Du Seuil, who spent most of last season novice chasing before a fine runner-up effort behind the recently retired Bob Olinger in the Champion Stayers' Hurdle at Punchestown.
Then there's Le Frimeur, who maintained his unbeaten record with a Grade One victory at the Punchestown Festival. Harry Derham seemed keen for a crack at the Stayers' at the start of the season, and this improving five-year-old has to be respected.
👑 The Old Guard 👑
Home By The Lee became the third teenager in the last four seasons to win the Stayers' Hurdle when he claimed a shock victory at Cheltenham in 2026. Joseph O'Brien's star will be 12 when next year's Festival rolls around, but if he can arrive back at Cheltenham in the same vein of form, connections will fancy their chances of a repeat victory.
Teahupoo has now finished third, first, second and sixth in this historic contest. Gordon Elliott's star will return to the Stayers' Hurdle for a fifth time in 2027, and he'll be a ten-year-old by then, which would be very much in line with the age trend that has emerged in recent seasons.
Impose Toi won the Long Walk Hurdle at Aintree last season before his form tailed off in the spring, but Nicky Henderson's star could still be a contender come March. Fellow JP McManus flagbearer Honesty Policy was let down by inexperience last season, and there could be more to come from Gordon Elliott's Long Walk and Liverpool Hurdle placer during his seven-year-old campaign.
🏇 The Best Of The Rest 🏇
Sober Glory, Mighty Park, Skylight Hustle, Fruit De Mer, The Passing Wife and Crystal Island are all set to go novice chasing this term and are unlikely runners at this stage. Ballyburn also features in some ante-post markets, despite being ruled out for the season through injury.
With Bob Olinger now enjoying a happy retirement, Henry de Bromhead could point former Supreme winner Slade Steel at this three-mile prize. Dan Skelton has said that Soldier Reeves has unfinished business over hurdles, and he has the potential to improve into a Graded-level performer.
Sober looked like a potential stayer last term, and Willie Mullins could explore such options with his Moscow Flyer winner. Zanoosh improved no end last term, and Ciaran Murphy could point his Grade One-winning mare at the Stayers'. Feet Of A Dancer is a potential runner for Paul Nolan after placed efforts in the Pertemps Final and the Mares' Hurdle.
Ma Shantou could return for another crack, while Wade Out looks to have a bright future in staying hurdle races. Jingko Blue, Air Of Entitlement and Poniros boast Cheltenham Festival-winning form, and further progress could see them enter the 2027 meeting as Stayers' Hurdle contenders.
Kawaboomga and Doctor Steinberg still fall into the "could be anything" bracket, and it'll be interesting to see which way connections go this term. Thedeviluno, Rockys Diamond, French Ship and Storm Heart are also worth a mention.
💵 Verdict 💵
Given the unpredictable nature of this race in recent years, I won't be chancing anything at a short price. Jimmy Du Seuil is a very interesting horse with this division in mind, but even his current odds of 12/1 are a little too short for my liking at this stage of the season.
JINGKO BLUE (50/1) followed in Jimmy Du Seuil's footsteps by winning the BetMGM Cup at last season's Cheltenham Festival. James Bowen gave Nicky Henderson's seven-year-old an aggressive ride from the front, and Jingko Blue didn't see another rival, pounding up the hill to land that valuable handicap by six lengths.
Bowen's mount was then backed into 7/2 ahead of the Liverpool Hurdle and was still in there pitching before a sluggish leap at the second-last saw him drop quickly back through the field. Jingko Blue then showed he had an excellent constitution by winning the Select Hurdle at Sandown two weeks later, beating stablemate Lucky Place with seemingly plenty left up his sleeve.
That run at Aintree did raise further doubts about Jingko Blue's staying ability. Henderson's gelding struggled over that distance at Haydock on his only other crack at three miles last season. However, I feel like it was errors in the jumping department that took the wind out of Jingko Blue's sails on both occasions, and he did win over three miles during his brief stint over fences.
James Bowen's mount showed in the spring that he had a great attitude and plenty of class, and he remains open to further progress this term. I expect Henderson will run his hurdler in top races at Newbury and Ascot during the first half of the season, and good performances in either the Long Distance Hurdle or the Long Walk would see those odds of 50/1 disappear quickly. Cheltenham Festival form should never be underestimated, and in a division known for shock results, Jingko Blue is worth more than a second look.
Verdict
Jingko Blue is our ante-post tip for the 2027 Stayers' Hurdle.
Jingko Blue
Stayers' Hurdle 2027 Early Tips
@50/1 - 5 Units
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