2025 Stayers' Hurdle Tips, Odds and News

Gordon Elliott won't have been too disappointed to see Teahupoo beaten by Lossiemouth in the Hatton's Grace, given how the race was run. Like last year, Elliott has decided to go straight from Fairyhouse to Cheltenham and the defending champion is best priced at 13/8 to retain his crown in March.

The nearest challenger to Teahupoo in the market is Home By The Lee, who won the Grade One at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival for second time in December. Lossiemouth, Ballyburn and Corbetts Cross remain prominent in the market, but none are remotely likely to take in the Stayers' Hurdle this season. 

Fergal O'Brien's Crambo will lead the home charge, having defended his Long Walk Hurdle crown at Ascot before Christmas. Coral Cup fourth, Lucky Place has progressed nicely this term, winning the Coral Hurdle and the Relkeel at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.

The Wallpark and Hiddenvalley Lake drifted out to 20/1 for the Stayers' Hurdle, despite both running with credit behind Crambo in the Long Walk. Strong Leader was another big drifter, having finished stone dead last as the favourite at Ascot.

I Am Maximus could revert back to hurdles before attempting to defend his Grand National crown. Losange Bleu could make the journey over from France. Other potential runners at the Cheltenham Festival include two-time Coral Cup winner Langer Dan, last year's Supreme runner-up Mystical Power, Pertemps Final winner Monmiral, and his stablemate at Paul Nicholls' yard, Blueking d'Oroux.

The Stayers' Hurdle is the oldest of the four Championship races at the Cheltenham Festival. The Stayers' Hurdle was first staged at Cheltenham in 1912. 

Having been dropped from the rota on a couple of occasions, the Stayers' Hurdle has been a regular during the Festival since 1946, and this three-mile hurdle takes centre-stage in the middle of day three's card.

Silver Bay was the first two-time winner of the Stayers' Hurdle, winning back-to-back renewals in 1913 and '14. 

Brown Lad won the Stayers' Hurdle under Tommy Carberry in 1975. He would go on to win the Irish Grand National three times, and twice finish second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Galmoy became the second horses to successfully defend his crown in the late 1980s. Legendary trainers like Martin Pipe, Henrietta Knight and David Nicholson saddled Stayers' Hurdle winners in the 1990s.

French raider, Baracouda wowed the crowds at Cheltenham with two fantastic wins in 2002 and '03. François Doumen's star was then defeated two years on the bounce, losing out to Iris's Gift and Inglis Drever in '04 and '05.

Inglis Drever would become the first three-time winner of the Stayers' Hurdle when he collected further wins in 2007 and '08.

His achievement was soon surpassed by Paul Nicholls' Big Bucks. With Ruby Walsh in the saddle, Big Bucks dominated the Stayers' Hurdle between 2009 and 2012, winning the Stayers' Hurdle four times on the bounce.

After Jonjo O'Neill and Warren Greatrex celebrated wins, Colin Tizzard won his first Stayers' Hurdle when Thistlecrack cruised to victory.

Willie Mullins then took over, saddling back-to-back winners in Nichols Canyon and Penhill.

Emma Lavelle's Paisley Park scored a superb victory in the 2019 Stayers' Hurdle. Many expected Paisley Park to retain his crown in 2020, but the favourite produced a limp performance on the day, and his crown was taken by Lisnagar Oscar, who won at 50/1 for Adam Wedge and trainer, Rebecca Curtis.

Gavin Cromwell's Flooring Porter then capped a remarkable season with a brilliant front-running victory in the 2021 Stayers' Hurdle.