Cheltenham Tips 2026: Stayers' Hurdle Preview and Best Bet on Day Three

The first and second in the 2025 Stayers' Hurdle are set to renew their rivalry in the 2026 edition of the race, with Teahupoo the second fancied to turn the tables with last year's winner Bob Olinger. This is far from a two horse race, however, and Billy Grimshaw likes a forgotten horse from the home team to spring a bit of a shock...

It is testament to the horse's longevity and consistency that since 2022, no Stayers' Hurdle has been run without Teahupoo starting as one of the first three in the betting. Arguably an unlucky third in 2023, victorious in 2024 and then second in 2025, he is as close to a placepot lock as Cheltenham offers and it is amazing to read the racecard and see he is still only nine. What's even more impressive is the fact he put in a career best last time out - on ground drier than it was thought he'd act best on. Gordon Elliott now knows his horse inside out and will have him tuned to the minute for this race come rain or shine. The weather gods seem to be smiling for Teahupoo as Wednesday brings rain according to the latest forecasts, but as he proved at Leopardstown a month back he is versatile ground wise.

He obviously has a huge chance, but at the prices I am happy to swerve him given I would actually have ownership mate and last year's hero Bob Olinger must closer to him in the market. Henry De Bromhead is the master of training horses to peak for Cheltenham and although Bob is now eleven and would be a trends buster were he to win, he saves his best for Prestbury Park and is of course already a three time Festival hero. He was not given a hard time in second behind Teahupoo last time out and one suspects connections were elated with that performance, given his season will have revolved around defending this title.

Again he must have a big chance, but the age factor is nagging at me and the suspicion this year's renewal is hotter than 2025. Mercifully for the long suffering backers of Britain in the Prestbury Cup, the home team look to have some fantastic young guns coming through the ranks in this division and the obvious place to start is Emma Lavelle's Cleeve winner Ma Shantou. He began this season as a mere handicapper, but it is interesting to note how similar his path has been to that of Paisley Park in his breakout season, plotted expertly of course by Lavelle 

His Cleeve win marked him out as the leading British contender at the time, but since that day Kabral Du Mathan has been gradually becoming a more and more likely runner for the Skeltons and he is now the shortest price British runner. Formerly with Paul Nicholls and looking to have plenty of talent, he has found a new level for Dan Skelton this season and his cruising speed could see him travelling into this - should he take his chance - like the winner. Expect him to trade very short if he is still there or thereabouts come the final few obstacles as it is common knowledge this lad has plenty of speed, but with the ground potentially softer than we'd anticipated a week ago I am just not convinced he will quite get up the hill over three miles.

The pace will surely be honest, and it could indeed be set by Honesty Policy, another with a massive chance for Gordon Elliott. He is clearly a horse on the up and could well take the mantle from Teahupoo as Elliott's new staying hurdler leading light, but his price at 4/1 now looks ridiculously skinny in comparison to his body of work. The vibes are strong and of course he is in the right silks - green and gold - but in the same colours I'd much prefer to back Long Walk and Long Distance Hurlde winner IMPOSE TOI each-way.

Nicky Henderson's gelding was as big as 50/1 for this at the start of the season, but after a strut to victory at Aintree in a handicap and a couple of Grade 2s he was antepost favourite in places. He beat Honesty Policy with ease to my eye and is the type of horse who never looks like he is putting in maximum effort, but gets the job done. It's noteworthy that during the Cleeve Hurdle, where Ma Shantou brushed him aside, Nico De Boinville never looked happy onboard and didn't give him a hard time once he noticed the race was over.

The reason his price is so big is that his one bad run this season has been at Cheltenham, and we all know how key course form is here. However, I believe the reaction has been overblown and with the ground sure to be drier than it was on Cleeve day here, as well as with a hopefully hot pace to aim at, I think he can be swinging into the race with Bob Olinger and Kabral Du Mathan and hopefully can stay on strongest. He may find one or two too good, but he shouldn't be such a price in comparison to the rest of this market.