2021 Cheltenham Festival – Stayers’ Hurdle Big Race Tips and Betting Preview

3.05 Cheltenham: Stayers Hurdle

Preview

Onto day 3 & one thing’s for certain, Henry De Bromhead won’t be winning the Championship race today as he doesn’t have a runner.  However, the Irish could still land the prize given they have 6 of the 15 runners & have landed the prize 3 times in the last 8 years.  The Stayers Hurdle is run over 3 miles on the new course & this renewal features the last 2 winners, Lisnagar Oscar & Paisley Park.  They went off at contrasting prices with the former winning at 50/1 & the latter winning at 11/8 favourite; that sums this race up with 2 winning favourites in the last 7 years but 4 of the others have started at double figure odds.

The Favourite

Paisley Park is priced up as the favourite here & has firmed up since the withdrawal late last week of Thyme Hill.  He was poor when only 7th last year at odds on but has looked good this term, sharing the Long Walk & the Long Distances hurdles with Thyme Hill (1 win & 1 2nd apiece).  Sire Du Berlais has a great Festival record having won the last 2 runnings of the Pertemps & the return to this track is a huge positive but he did finish behind Flooring Porter in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Contenders

Lisnagar Oscar was a surprise winner 12 months ago & despite a return to form when 2nd in the Rendelsham at Haydock, it’s unlikely he’ll follow up whilst Vinndication hasn’t run over hurdles for 3 years (run over fences only) but has won all 3 starts over the smaller obstacles in novice company.  The Storyteller is another that’s done most of his racing & has most form over fences but is feared whilst Flooring Porter will make a bold bid from the front & has beaten a fair few of these but it’s hard to make all in this race.

Special Offer

Sign up for an 888sport account before the Stayers’ Hurdle goes off to get a hugely enhanced 16/1 on the favourite Paisley Park to win! Click the image below for these huge odds! New accounts only.

Qualifying bet must be placed at the normal odds • max bet £5 • Extra winnings paid in FREE BETS and added within 72 hrs of qualifying bet settlement • Free bet stakes not included in bet returns • Free bets expire 7 days after credit • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Full T&C’s apply

Betting

6 of the 7 winners were second season hurdlers & aged no older than 8, so we’re taking a pair of Irish challengers who fit that profile & whose form ties in closely.   The first of those is Fury Road, a 7 year old with just 8 hurdle runs to his name.  He had a good novice year last term, resulting in a fine run when a neck 3rd in the tightest finish of last year’s Festival in the Albert Bartlett.  Remember, the winner of that race was the outstanding Monkfish & behind in 4th was Thyme Hill who would have gone off 2nd favourite at worst for this had he turned up.  This term, he opened up with a comfortable win in a Grade 2 before underperforming at Christmas like most from his yard.   However, last time out over 2 miles 5 furlongs, he was edged out in the Boyne Hurdle when having to make the running.  A faster pace & longer trip will suit & he should go very close indeed here.

The winner of the Boyne was our second selection, Beacon Edge, who is trading at much bigger odds.  He’s another 7 year old with just 8 runs to his name & he’s yet to finish out of the 3 in those 8 runs, winning half of them.  He had raced exclusively at 2 miles last season but stepped up in trip by around half a mile, he’s improved this term.  He won his first 2 including a Grade 3 & was then less than a length behind Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle in the Hatton’s Grace.  His one poor run was back at 2 miles when outpaced at a crucial stage although he still managed a 5 lengths 3rd & then his final run was that win in the Boyne.  This is his first run at Cheltenham but if he handles the track, his turn of foot could be the difference.   Whichever way, the 2 Gigginstown runners are hard to split so we’ll go double handed & back both.

Tips

Back Fury Road (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 9.00 Boylesports BOG (⅕ odds 1-4)

Back it here:

PLACED – Back Beacon Edge (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 19.00 Betfair BOG (⅕ odds 1-5)

Back it here:

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2021