(3.5 minutes read)
St Patrick’s Thursday may seem like the poor cousin to the other Festival days, but the day entertains on a grand scale with two senior Grade One races in the shape of the Ryanair Chase and The Stayers’ Hurdle.
This year’s renewal of the stayers’ hurdle championship features Teahupoo yet again at the head of the market, hoping to gain revenge for last year’s defeat to Bob Olinger.
However, there is a major challenge from the Skelton’s yard with the improving Kabral Du Mathan. We check out best Stayers’ Hurdle bets from our partner firms Bet365, William Hill, Bet Victor, Betfred and Boylesports.
Each Way Places
One of our partners Bet365 is offering 4 places instead of the customary 4 places for each way betting. William Hill is offering the standard three places but with ¼ of the odds, rather than the fifth of odds as set with a field of eleven runners.
The Main Players
Teahupoo
The Gordon Elliott trained 2024 winner has been in scintillating form since that defeat to Bob Olinger last year. In fact, Teahupoo battered Bob Olinger in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown last time out.
The only big concern has to be Gordon Elliott’s lack of a win so far this week at The Cheltenham Festival, with many big guns failing to fire. There will certainly be extra pressure on Jack Kennedy’s shoulders to get this over the line.
However, it will take some improvement from other entries to stop Teahupoo from gaining a second title. 4/1 best odds with Bet365, William Hill, Betfred and Boylesports.
Kabral Du Mathan
This Dan Skelton trained six-year-old is a very progressive sort who travels and stays well. He started out over tight 2 miles distances when under Paul Nicholls’ care but with Dan Skelton he has been graduating up to extended distances, winning a valuable handicap at Haydock over 2 miles 3f and then the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham Trials Day.
He was very impressive in both of those starts and indicates that he could relish staying further. However, this is a big step up in class and taking on the older more experienced horses will need more improvement.
Having said that, Kabral Du Mathan’s form took a major boost yesterday as the horse he beat by five lengths in the Relkeel Hurdle, Jingko Blue, won The Bet MGM Handicap Hurdle yesterday. Our pick to land The Stayers’ Hurdle. Best odds of 4/1 with Bet365, William Hill, Betfred, Bet Victor, and Boylesports.
Ballyburn
The Willie Mullins trained emphatic Turners’ Novice winner from 2024 does not seem to have recovered from his disastrous run in last year’s Brown Advisory where he made errors and never travelled.
Mullins has then reformulated the plan for Ballyburn, running him back over extended distance hurdle races. Although he ran well behind Teahupoo in the Grade One Hatton Grace hurdle last November, he struggled going back up to 2 miles 7 furlongs in the Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle, finishing a tired 14 lengths behind Teahupoo.
It suggests that 3 miles is arguably beyond Ballyburn’s staying capabilities, but he cannot be ruled out with jockey Paul Townend riding so well at the moment.
Best odds of 13/2 with Bet365 paying four places for each way bets.
Ma Shantou
Trainer Emma Lavelle is aiming to produce another Paisley Park, and she may just have something in Ma Shantou. He produced an impressive display to beat Impose Toi in the Cleeve Hurdle at Trials Day, winning with plenty in hand.
The jockey booking of Harry Cobden is also a big plus. Sure to be in the mix. Best odds of 6/1 with Bet365 paying 4 places for each way bets.
Bob Olinger
Last year’s winner is certainly in his twilight years although the Henry De Bromhead team have reported Bob Olinger to be in fine fettle at home. He has been lightly raced this season with just that one run behind Teahupoo.
If he can reproduce the form from last year’s renewal, he could take some beating. 7/1 best odds with William Hill, Betfred, Bet Victor and Boylesports.
The Rest
Impose Toi has been in great form of late but was clobbered by Ma Shantou in that Cleeve Hurdle run but has good each way potential at 10/1 with Bet365. Honesty Policy is another progressive horse with plenty of untapped ability although the Gordon Elliott team are failing to fire at the moment which is a concern. Best odds of 17/2 with William Hill and Betfred.
SELECTION: Kabral Du Mathan 4/1 with Bet365, William Hill, Betfred, Bet Victor, and Boylesports.
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