A-Z Guide: Stayers’ Hurdle

The Stayers’ Hurdle headlines day three of another action-packed afternoon at the Cheltenham Festival.

The race has featured a number of thrilling performances in recent years from the likes of Big Bucks and Thistlecrack, and we look set for a hugely-competitive renewal at 3.30pm on Thursday.

Can the rising star of the stayers’ hurdling division come to forefront or will one of the old guard stamp their authority on a race renowned for producing drama?

Here’s our guide to Thursday’s highlight…

Bacardys
Form: 1P1-3F
Jockey: TBC – Trainer: Willie Mullins
A Grade One winner over 2m4f at the Punchestown Festival last year when beating Finian’s Oscar and Death Duty, Bacardys was switched to fences by trainer Willie Mullins this season but has failed to sparkle in two outings. He was a faller at Leopardstown in December and now reverts back to the smaller obstacles but still has a point to prove now thrown in one of the most competitive renewals of the Stayers’ Hurdle for years. Rating 6/10

Donna’s Diamond
Form: U4-11
Jockey: Callum Bewley – Trainer: Chris Grant
Donna’s Diamond’s owners have supplemented their nine-year-old for the Stayers’ Hurdle for a price of £15,000 after winning the Rendlesham at Haydock nicely from Agrapart in second. Chris Grant’s horse always performs well at Haydock but is in deep waters among this company. He’ll relish the soft ground but will cause a major shock should he come home the winner. Rating 3/10

L’Ami Serge
Form: 21223
Jockey: Daryl Jacob – Trainer: Nicky Henderson
L’Ami Serge looked sure to win last year’s County Hurdle over two miles at the Cheltenham Festival before being pipped to the post by Arctic Fire. He then went on to win a Grade One in France over three miles in June but has disappointed in three starts thus far this season. Arrives here having finished an unlucky third over fences at Doncaster last time and it’s hard to be confident he’ll return to last season’s winning form with such inconsistency. Rating: 5/10

Lil Rockerfeller
Form: 0-3162
Jockey: Trevor Whelan – Trainer: Neil King
A warrior of a horse with a never-say-die attitude. Despite not showing his best this season. Lil Rockerfeller ran a terrific race to finish second in last year’s renewal behind the ill-fated Nichols Canyon. On that form he’ll have every chance to be involved again but the ground has to be a big worry for a horse that likes to dominate from the front. Rating: 5/10

Old Guard
Form: 131541
Jockey: Harry Cobden – Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Old Guard has form at Cheltenham in soft ground when winning the International Hurdle three years ago but he has failed to replicate that level of performance since. The seven-year-old has only tried three miles once when well-beaten by Unowhatimeanharry last year and it’s hard to see him getting involved on the evidence already shown. He’ll need to improve significantly to be in with a chance. Rating: 4/10

Penhill
Form: 14112-
Jockey: Paul Townend – Trainer: Willie Mullins
Penhill is the joker in the pack. He was the winner of last season’s Albert Bartlett over course-and-distance where he beat Monalee in second. He hasn’t been seen since April but word from the Willie Mullins camp suggests he cannot be discounted for a man renowned for producing his horses perfectly at targets. His victory in the Albert Bartlett showed he possesses the profile to win a race of this nature and he certainly boasts the class. He can definitely run into a place at nice each-way price. Rating: 8/10

Sam Spinner
Form: 11-211
Jockey: Joe Colliver – Trainer: Jedd O’Keefe
The race favourite and rightly so. Sam Spinner has been a revelation since tackling three miles and will arrive at Cheltenham as a leading candidate for the Stayers’ Hurdle. A wide-margin handicap win at Haydock in November was followed by a standout performance in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot last time. He beat a number of key rivals in that race which looks the single best piece of form on offer ahead of this year’s renewal. He’s a young and improving horse and should have no problem with the heavy ground. The only negative may be his inexperienced rider, though the horse has enough class to see him through. He’s a very solid favourite. Rating: 10/10

Supasundae
Form: 12-321
Jockey: Robbie Power – Trainer: Jessica Harrington
Winner of last year’s Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, Supasundae comes into this year’s race having won the Grade One Irish Champion Hurdle over two miles last month, where he beat Faugheen and Melon. This eight-year-old has yet to win over three miles but has finished respectably behind Yanworth and Apple’s Jade in two efforts at the trip. He should have no problem dealing with the underfoot conditions but I question whether he truly wants a strongly-run three miles at championship level. Rating: 7/10

The New One
Form: 14221
Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies – Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies
A terrific servant at the Cheltenham Festival, The New One has run in the last four renewals of the Champion Hurdle and was arguably unlucky not to go much closer when third behind Jezki in 2013. Now trying three miles for the first at the age of 10, he is very much an unknown quantity. He’s another contender who will have no problem with the ground but the distance has to be question mark given his entire racing career has seen him remain at the minimum hurdling distance. Rating: 6/10

The World’s End
Form: F1-844
Jockey: Adrien Heskin – Trainer: Tom George
The World’s End Has 33 lengths to find with favourite Sam Spinner on his running at Haydock earlier this season and it’s difficult to see how he can reverse that form. He was quietly fancied to run well in the Albert Bartlett before falling last year. But he made amends a month later in winning the Grade One Sefton Novices’ Hurdle. He’s failed to fire in three starts this season and comes into the race with little momentum and has ground concerns. Rating: 4/10

Unowhatimeanharry
Form: 31-123
Jockey: Noel Fehily – Trainer: Harry Fry
Despite being ten, Unowhatimeanharry could be the forgotten package in this year’s race. Harry Fry’s horse started the Stayers’ Hurdle last year as hot odds-on favourite before finishing a credible third. The ground seemed to turn against him on that occasion but no such concerns will be repeated here as he should love the heavy description and stamina-sapping test. He began the season with victory but has form to overturn with Sam Spinner from Ascot, though Harry Fry says the horse’s preparation has gone very well. Don’t be surprised to see him there contesting at the business-end of the race. Rating: 9/10

Wholestone
Form: 42612
Jockey: Aidan Coleman – Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies
Wholestone has course-and-distance form and is yet another who should not be inconvenienced by the ground. His win at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day is solid form but it has to be questioned as to whether it’s strong enough to win a three-mile championship race. He has an outside place chance. Rating: 6/10

Yanworth
Form: 1-1F21
Jockey: Barry Geraghty – Trainer: Alan King
A failed novice chasing campaign means Yanworth now reverts to the smaller obstacles to tackle the Stayers’ Hurdle over three miles. He has looked a stayer throughout his career to date and could produce his best performance now returned to three miles. His victory over Supasundae in last year’s Grade One Aintree in the Liverpool Hurdle is good form but it came on a flat-track with less of a stamina emphasis than Thursday’s contest. He’s had no hurdling experience this season ahead of such a competitive renewal. Is this an afterthought? Rating: 7/10

Augusta Kate
Form: 15-642
Jockey: David Mullins – Trainer: Willie Mullins
Augusta Kate is another horse who needs to improve on her showings this season to be involved. Her best performances have all come on much better ground than that of Thursday’s going and that has to be a concern. Willie Mullins’ mare boasts a handy seven-pounds mares allowance but even so she’d need to produce a career-best to be involved. Rating: 4/10

Colin’s Sister
Form: 5-1433
Jockey: Paddy Brennan – Trainer: Fergal O’Brien
Fergal O’Brien’s Colin Sister is another outsider in the field and despite showing a good attitude on her first run of the season when winning at Wetherby, she’s up against it in this company. Won’t mind the soft ground but is a horse who needs to produce a career-best when it matters most. Rating: 3/10

Let’s Dance
Form: 24-F15
Jockey: Danny Mullins – Trainer: Willie Mullins
Willie Mullins is a master at training mares and although the reports surfacing from his yard about Let’s Dance are not the most encouraging, it would come as no surprise to see her run well at a big price. She was a commanding winner of last season’s Mares Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but has failed to spark thus far this season. Her latest performance behind Present Percy over hurdles is not good enough to win a race of this nature but Mullins is not the type of trainer to send a horse to Prestbury Park to enjoy the scenic surroundings. She warrants respect. Rating: 7/10

VERDICT:

This year’s Stayers’ Hurdle can go to one of the smaller training bases and trainer Jedd O’Keefe. His exciting six-year-old SAM SPINNER made a massive impression at Ascot last time out and looks a horse improving with his racing. The race conditions seem perfect for Sam Spinner and if replicating his performance at Ascot in January then he could take plenty of beating. Unowhatimeanharry can chase the favourite home for Harry Fry who will no doubt have his charge prepared for the occasion, while Penhill is the type who could perform well despite a lengthy break for shrewd connections.

1. Sam Spinner
2. Unowhatimeanharry
3. Penhill

(c) Sky News 2018: A-Z Guide: Stayers’ Hurdle