Punchestown Stayers' Hurdle Preview: Young Legs Can Upset Old Stagers

The feature race of Thursday comes in the shape of the Punchestown Champion Stayers' Hurdle and a couple of standing orders in this division head the market. Billy Grimshaw is taking a chance on a youngster finally fulfilling his potential and makes he case below...

I did not think around 18 months ago we would be seeing KAWABOOMGA in a hurdle race of any sort, and I certainly did not foresee him turning up in a Grade 1 over three miles. Given his novice hurdle form closely tied him in with 2025 Supreme hero and moral 2026 Arkle winner Kopek Des Bordes, I was expecting him to make up into a two mile chaser had things run smoothily, but sadly they did not. He missed over a year from January 2025 to February 2026 with an injury and as such, plans to send him novice chasing this campaign were shelved.

Upon his return, he ran with credit, albeit it was clear he was not back to the level he had been producing pre-injury. As 6/4 second favourite he was beaten just two lengths into fourth in the Red Mills on heavy ground at Gowran, keeping on well after perhaps being a bit startled by the pace of things as the race heated up. That was enough indication to team Mullins to step him up in trip and next time out he improved again, finishing second over 2m3f at Fairyhouse behind a horse we know to be top class over hurdles in Slade Steel. Again this was a step in the right direction, but this was a horse doing all his best work late once more. Another step up in trip is the obvious next step and that is what Willie has decided to do.

There is a clear top staying hurdling dog right now and that is Home By The Lee, but the eleven year old surely won't be able to hit the heights again next season and as such, a changing of the guard is long overdue in this division. He doesn't run here and in his absence, Teahupoo is the market leader. Off the back of his poor Cheltenham showing and with the ground looking to be good to soft at worst here, I could not back him with stolen money at the prices being offered. Yes, he was impressive at Leopardstown in the Christmas Hurdle on good ground but there is a growing body of evidence this horse has just always been a bit overhyped and having been on the go since a juvenile, He has blinkers on for the first time here, which smacks to me as a last roll of the dice, and I wonder if the nine year old is now officially on his way down.

Bob Olinger ran better than his ownership mate at Cheltenham to finish third and I'd fancy him to uphold those placings, but he is in a similar boat to Teahupoo; surely his best days are behind him. The chief threat to Kawaboomga announcing himself as the next top stayer seems to be a rival in the same silks, Honesty Policy. He has had a lofty reputation for a while and did look good in novice company at Aintree in particular last season, but I have seen nothing to suggest he is the next big thing over staying trips hurdling this season. 

I would also worry if backing him that Aintree may have left a mark as he has bounced a few times when running quickly in succession during his career. Gordon Elliott has at least hit better form at Punchestown than he managed at the English Festivals, with Western Fold a big welcome winner on Day One at 22/1 in the Grade 1 Novice Chase, but there is no piece of form I can see in Honesty Policy that should hold any fear for his rivals.

Kawaboomga looks the obviously unexposed horse in a field which is ripe for something to grab the race - and division - by the scruff of the neck and I fancy he'll do just that. Willie Mullins has won three of the last five renewals of this race and it'd be no surprise at all to me were his two entrants, Kawaboomga and Jimmy Du Seuil to be fighting out the finish.  The latter named has perhaps disappointed a touch this season over fences but he put in an impressive novice hurdling season in 2024/25 and should not be underestimated returning to timber.

His Coral Cup win in 2025 has worked out and he did beat The Big Westerner on chase debut before his jumping over fences went to pot, so should Paul Townend get a tune out of him I expect him to be in the mix. He doesn't have the upside of Kawaboomga though and I am quietly confident of a huge run.