With Cheltenham just around the corner, one of the most anticipated races, the Stayers’ Hurdle, will be run on the 18th March.
What Is the Stayers’ Hurdle?
The Stayer’s Hurdle is a prestigious Cheltenham race dating back to 1912, when the three-mile course was run for the first time with a top prize of £100 (about £11,000 in today’s money). Today, it holds its place as the leading hurdle event in the calendar, and is the feature race on Day 3 of Cheltenham festival. Horses must be at least four years old to qualify.
When Is the Stayers’ Hurdle?
The Stayers’ Hurdle takes place on the third day of Cheltenham – this year that is Thursday 18th March 2021 at 15.05 GMT.
Who Will Win the Stayers’ Hurdle?
We’re keeping a keen eye on Paisley Park and Thyme Hill, two runners who have impressive credentials that could see either of them go the distance this March when the two go head-to-head once more in this stamina-sapping race. Will Paisley Park regain his stayers’ crown or can young pretender Thyme Hill emerge victorious?
Paisley Park
2019 was a triumphant year for Emma Lavelle’s mount, who emerged the Grade 1 hurdle’s victor. However, following a winning performance in the Cleeve Hurdle, hopes were dashed of an appearance at the Stayers’ Hurdle of 2020 when he was discovered to have a heart condition.
Following this setback, Paisley Park returned to the game fighting fit, coming up behind Thyme Hill in Newbury’s Long Distance Hurdle in November. The tables were turned in a nail-biting climax at Ascot, when Aidan Coleman’s mountgained headway coming up to the last to win by a length.
Thyme Hill
Few have been lauded with praise for long distance races in recent times as much as Philip Hobbs’ Thyme Hill. The seven-year-old beat returning rival Paisley Park by a length and a half at Newbury, before being edged out by Paisley Park in that memorable race at Ascot.
With both horses exhibiting polished form, it will undoubtedly be a meeting of two greats and we’re very much looking forward to watching it unfold in March.
Stayers’ Hurdle Legends
With an illustrious reputation, the Stayers’ Hurdle has showcased some of the best talent in National Hunt history. Here are some standout moments from the Cheltenham race that we’ll keep fondly in mind when this season’s Cheltenham comes along.
Big Buck’s
Regarded as the greatest staying hurdler of all timeBig Buck’s holds the record for the most consecutive wins – four; in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, which he achieved under trainer Paul Nicholls before retiring in 2014.
Crimson Embers
The oldest horse to have ever won the Stayers’ Hurdle was 11-year-old called Crimson Embers, who won the 1986 Stayers’ Hurdle.
Baracouda
François Doumen’s horse was another memorable hurdler during the late 1990s and early 2000s; throughout his career, Baracouda won the Stayers’ Championship, Cheltenham Stayers’ Hurdle and 10 races consecutively from 2002 to 2003.
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