Cheltenham Festival 2026: Stayers’ Hurdle race analysis and preview

The 2026 National Hunt season will soon reach its climax, when the Cheltenham Festival gets underway in just over four weeks’ time. 

Eyes from across the racing world will turn their attention to Prestbury Park, each hoping to catch a glimpse of history as Britain and Ireland’s most elite yards go head-to-head. 

Four days featuring 28 races in the Gloucestershire countryside are highlighted by four feature races – one running each day – and day three sees the Stayers’ Hurdle take centre stage. 

This stamina-sapping contest will see horses navigate three miles of Cheltenham’s iconic new course and jump 12 flights of hurdles. 

A share of £325,000 in prize money awaits runners and riders should they prevail in one of the festival’s most talked about contests. 

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Teahupoo chasing second win

Ante-post favourite Teahupoo is still looking to claim his second win in the race, following defeat to ownermate Bob Olinger last year. 

He ended last season with a win in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle, before returning with two consecutive wins in Grade One Hurdle contests this season to make it seven total Grade One wins. 

The 2023 winner of this race hasn’t finished outside the first two in any of his last eight starts, all at Grade One level, winning six times. 

On Teahupoo, Elliott said: “He’s been the horse of a lifetime and has already won seven Grade 1s. 

“He’s a bit unlucky not to have won more than one Stayers’ Hurdle, but he goes back there with a great chance. 

“He was brilliant at Christmas and I don’t think that extra run before Cheltenham will do him any harm. 

“We have plenty of time to freshen him up and he’ll be bang there at the business end. It’ll take a good one to beat him.”

Betting market

At 7/4, he heads the betting market and a pair of Elliott-trained horses at the top of the market, with Honesty Policy helping to give the Irishman a strong hand. 

Priced at 4/1, he is the second-favourite and is due to have his first run at the Festival this year. 

He has raced only six times since under rules and broke his Grade One maiden tag at the first time of asking, in a Novice contest at Aintree, last year. 

Honesty Policy has been placed on both occasions since, both of which came in Grade One company, with the latter coming on his only outing this season. 

Ground too heavy

After that latest run, Elliott said: “I’d imagine Honesty Policy will go straight to Cheltenham now. 

“I was keen to run him at Navan but the ground was too heavy and he’s not the biggest horse in the world. 

“We’ll get a racecourse gallop into him somewhere beforehand.”

Bob Olinger comes next in the betting and will renew his rivalry with Teahupoo as he too goes in search of his second Stayers’ Hurdle title. 

Trainer Henry De Bromhead’s gelding is a renowned competitor at this level and is also looking to protect his 100% course record, which remains intact after four runs – three of which came at the Festival. 

He has placed inside the top two in all of his last eight runs, though has won only twice in that time. 

Old rivalry

His old rivalry with Home By The Lee could yet come to the fore once again, with the aforementioned horse still entered into this contest. 

Home By The Lee is out at 33/1 to win this race, having lost his way after unseating in this race last season – before which he defeated Bob Olinger four times. 

Ma Shantou and Impose Toi head the British-trained challengers entered into this race, with the former looking to continue his good course form trainer Emma Lavelle. 

Three of his four runs this season have come at Cheltenham and he won all three, defeating Impose Toi in the latter. 

The second-placed horse helps to give owner JP McManus a leading chance in the race, with him set to carry the same green and gold silks as Honesty Policy. 

Trainer Nicky Henderson’s horse had been unbeaten in three starts prior to his defeat to Ma Shantou and will return to Cheltenham Festival looking to go one better than his second-placed effort in the Coral Cup.

Others in the market include Ballyburn, Kabral Du Mathan and fan-favourite Hewick, who are priced at 16/1 and 25/1 respectively. 

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