The third day of the Cheltenham Festival is upon us and Thursday's action is headlined by the Stayers' Hurdle. This division is famed for its volatility and has provided some of the most enthralling finishes at the meeting in recent years.
The Stayers' has been won by hurdling greats such as Big Buck's and Inglis Drever, and carries a purse that totals £325,000 as the field of 12 go in search of big-race glory at Prestbury Park.
Clive Gildon provides his analysis on the feature as well as some other selections on day three of Cheltenham's flagship meeting, where they race from 1.30-5.30, with the Stayers' Hurdle itself due off at 3.30.
3.30 – Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1, 3m)
Last season's Stayers' Hurdle was a turn up for the books. 33-1 veteran Sire Du Berlais edged out 40-1 fellow old-timer Dashel Drasher with the new-kid-on-the-block, Teahupoo, back in third.
What that race taught us was that Teahupoo didn't stay as resolutely as the other two in a fiercely run race given he travelled better than anything entering the home straight, but there are reasons to predict a better effort now.
He is a year wiser and has been campaigned differently. Teahupoo has an unblemished record when fresh (form figures of 111111 following breaks of 53 days or more), so it is little surprise Gordon Elliott put him away with this in mind after he landed the Hatton's Grace in November. Last season he ran only six weeks prior to the Stayers' at Gowran Park.
We can expect a similar test of stamina with Flooring Porter again expected to cut out the running at a good clip and Crambo is taken to rise to the occasion and fend off the short-priced favourite.
Crambo has been one of the biggest improvers in training over the last year. He is rated 34lb higher than when he landed the EBF Final off a mark of 123 last March and proved he was up to the top level when outfoxing Paisley Park in the Long Walk Hurdle in December.
He also arrives following a break (82 days) and Fergal O'Brien is sure to have him ready to rock for the big day. It is possible he improves again and this tough, classy sort can secure a second Grade 1 prize.
1.30 - Turners Novices' Chase (Grade 1, 2m4f)
The Grade 1 Turners opens up the card on Thursday and is a belter. The Willie Mullins-trained Facile Vega is fascinating up to this trip for the first time as his dam, prolific Cheltenham Festival winner Quevega, stayed so well.
However, the British challenge is also strong. Ginny's Destiny and Grey Dawning are formidable opponents for Facile Vega and are closely matched on their meeting here in December.
Grey Dawning made a shuddering error at the second-last and did well in the circumstances to get within three-quarters of a length of Ginny's Destiny. Grey Dawning improved again for a step up to three miles when dominating the Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick
Dropping in trip won't necessarily suit him, though, and it appears that Ginny's Destiny has also progressed again.
Ginny's Destiny made every yard in a red-hot novice handicap chase that always works out superbly over this course and distance. That was an impressive feat considering he carried more weight than Ga Law in the corresponding race on that card and still ran a quicker overall time and final four furlongs. This uncomplicated front-runner still might not be getting the respect he deserves.
2.10 - Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (3m)
If there is a class horse in the Pertemps Final it is Cuthbert Dibble. Cuthbert Dibble was attempting to give 2lb to Crambo when fifth in the EBF Final in 2023, and has improved markedly this season in handicap hurdles.
He hacked up at Chepstow before qualifying for this at Haydock, with his margin of superiority over the rest masked by the winning distance as he idle once the race was in the bag. Cuthbert Dibble brings a bit of class to the table and could rate much higher than a mark of 139.
It wouldn't shock me to see him in Aintree's Grade 1 staying hurdle in April. Failing that, prizes similar to that contest in the 2024-25 season.
His biggest threat may emerge from Icare Allen, who was an eyecatcher for Willie Mullins at Aintree earlier in the campaign. He is also unexposed over three miles and appears to have been laid out for this.
2.50 - Ryanair Chase (Grade 1, 2m4½f)
The Ryanair Chase is a muddling race this season. Banbridge's participation hangs in the balance. If he does show up, it is unlikely the ground will be exactly as he wants it, while Envoi Allen is ten now and Stage Star was pulled up last time.
This could be ripe for an upset and the horse to provide that could be Fil Dor. This six-year-old was a high-class juvenile but lost his way at five as many from his generation do.
He had little chance running off top weight in the 2023 Coral Cup, and it is chases where we are expected to see him at his best. Two-miles has been an inadequate trip for Fil Dor for a while. His second to the top-class El Fabiolo in the Hilly Way revealed as much when we last saw him.
Trainer Gordon Elliott is expected to have him in top nick for the big day and he might just be finishing up the hill better than most.
A resurgent performance from Ahoy Senor is not ruled out either. Ahoy Senor produced a good effort in the Cotswold Chase in January when his rider's stirrup snapped, and a line can be put through his third-place finish in the Clarence House. He was given way too much to do with the winner granted a freebie out in front, and that smacked of a prep run for this.
