Royal Kahala to Floor Porter in Stayers’
Bill Esdaile’s Stayers’ Hurdle 1-2-3:
1. Royal Kahala
2. Flooring Porter
3. Thyme Hill
THERE are few races at the Cheltenham Festival which are easy to solve and today’s Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (3.30pm) certainly falls into that category.
Many of the leading contenders have put in performances more than worthy of taking this race but equally they have all done the opposite, meaning almost all of them have question marks to answer.
The most solid is probably last year’s winner FLOORING PORTER, who although not winning since his impressive front-running victory 12 months ago, has shown enough to suggest he’s still very much a leading light in this division.
You can forgive his run at the Punchestown Festival at the end of last season where he was clearly over the top, and he then began his new campaign in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan where he was going really well before falling at the second last.
He was then seen in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown and showed no ill effects from the fall when running a decent race to finish second to Klassical Dream.
It was a performance that can be marked up considering his rival stole a significant advantage at the start and Flooring Porter was always playing catch-up.
Gavin Cromwell’s inmate will almost certainly give his running again, but the one nagging concern is if something takes him on for the lead given they know how devastating he can be with an uncontested one.
Taking that into account, I’m going to take a chance on ROYAL KAHALA at 9/1 with Fitzdares.
She’s always been a mare who has been well-regarded, but she seems to have found a new lease of life since being upped in trip.
Having run really well to be second to Dysart Diamond on her seasonal bow, she was then stepped up to 2m4f at Leopardstown over Christmas where she got the better of some well-touted mares.
She then followed up with a win against the males in the Grade Two Galmoy Hurdle when trying three miles for the first time and although you can pick holes in the form of that race, she’s unexposed at this trip and there is certainly more to come.
Peter Fahey’s horses are in good form with his Surprise Package winning the Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday and he looks to have another solid chance of taking out another big success on British shores.
Klassical Dream was one of the horses to disappoint in the Galmoy Hurdle and despite that, the former Supreme winner has to be considered at 4/1.
He was ridiculously impressive at the Punchestown Festival on his first try over this trip and won well-enough over Christmas, but he was beaten out of sight last time and that leaves a big question mark.
THYME HILL is the one I like to complete the placings at 4/1.
Philip Hobbs’ contender is very consistent, rarely funning a bad race, and that can be expected again here.
Interestingly this is his first run in the Stayers’, but his form figures at Cheltenham read 2314, so it’s clearly a track he loves.
He ran no sort of race when first seen this term at Auteuil but bounced back to much more like old self in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot when second to Champ.
The eight-year-old has a great record fresh, so it’s no surprise connections haven’t run him since then.
He’s versatile when it comes to the ground and looks another live contender in this hugely open renewal.
Of the remainder, Paisley Park showed in the Cleeve Hurdle last time the ability is very much still there, but you’ve got to question his attitude these days considering the fact he almost refused to start.
He loves Cheltenham, but he’s not for me, while I’m not a fan of Champ either.
Nicky Henderson’s contender was brilliant at Ascot but looked a different horse altogether when disappointing in the Cleeve and he looks very short at 5/1.
I can see Lisnagar Oscar running well at a big price and what a brilliant story it would be if he were to win given he’ll be running in the colours of Ukraine.
He’s versatile when it comes to the ground and looks another live contender in this hugely open renewal.
Of the remainder, Paisley Park showed in the Cleeve Hurdle last time the ability is very much still there, but you’ve got to question his attitude these days considering the fact he almost refused to start.
He loves Cheltenham, but he’s not for me, while I’m not a fan of Champ either.
Nicky Henderson’s contender was brilliant at Ascot but looked a different horse altogether when disappointing in the Cleeve and he looks very short at 5/1.
I can see Lisnagar Oscar running well at a big price and what a brilliant story it would be if he were to win given he’ll be running in the colours of Ukraine.