Lee can bring Home the Stayers’ Hurdle bacon
BACKING the winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival is almost always a tough ask, but I think I’ve found a bet in the race seven weeks out.
Defending champion Teahupoo is undoubtedly the worthy favourite to retain his crown after he comfortably won the race 12 months ago, and he sits at the top of the market at 11/10.
While he was much the best last year, a lot can still go wrong between now and the Festival, so I’m not wild about his short price.
And it’s the horse next in the betting, HOME BY THE LEE, who I much prefer at 8/1.
Joseph O’Brien’s charge has long been a feature of the staying hurdling division and looks to have been revitalised this term after an in-and-out season in 2023-24.
He began this campaign with a fine three-and-a-half length defeat of Bob Olinger at Navan before nearly doubling the winning margin next time out in a Leopardstown Grade One over Christmas – arguably operating at a career-best level.
He has tried to win the Stayers’ Hurdle three times and come up short on each occasion, but he has ran admirably on each try and wouldn’t be the first Festival winner who’d been made to wait for their maiden Cheltenham victory.
The selection also holds the trump card of being ground versatile, something that can’t be said for Teahupoo, who really needs slower going to be at his best.
On his best day, Teahupoo will be hard to pass, but Home By The Lee is a worthy adversary and rates as a solid ante-post each-way selection to put it up to the reigning champ.
POINTERS ANTE-POST
Home By The Lee e/w 8/1 Stayers’ Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival