Teahupoo kept fresh for this exact appointment
Teahupoo gets washed down after morning exercise at Cullentra. Pic: Healy Racing
HE decision to reroute Irish Point to Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle has left the way clear for stablemate Teahupoo to win the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle and, with the ground in his favour, it’ll be a disappointment if he fails to take this golden opportunity.
March 14, 2024 has been circled in Teahupoo’s diary ever since his frustrating defeat in this race last year. Sent off the 9-4 favourite, Teahupoo travelled through the race like the best horse but found trouble at the business end of proceedings and crossed the line three=quarters of a length behind veteran stablemate Sire Di Berlais.
A year on, Teahupoo returns to Cheltenham on a redemption mission as a seven-year-old, the same age as five of the last 10 Stayers’ Hurdle winners. He also returns as a fresh horse having only run once this season. That was at Fairyhouse in December where he retained his Hatton’s Grace Hurdle by getting the better of Impaire Et Passe.
In the aftermath of that Grade One success, trainer Gordon Elliott revealed that Teahupoo wouldn’t run again before Cheltenham, a bold but understandable move given the horse’s brilliant record when fresh. Teahupoo has run six times after a break in excess of 50 days and has yet to taste defeat, a record Elliott hopes will become a magnificent seven today.
In a race short of depth, the Emmet Mullins-trained Noble Yeats might prove his biggest danger. The 2022 Grand National hero won the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on his most recent start and this afternoon will sport cheekpieces for the first time since that shock Aintree success. Should this turn into a war of attrition, he’ll be a big threat to the favourite.
Like Teahupoo, Envoi Allen has been kept fresh for Cheltenham and the three-time Festival hero looks sure to put up a bold defence of his Ryanair Chase crown for the in-form Henry de Bromhead team.
Envoi Allen’s most recent run was a cracking effort as he got within a neck of Gerri Colombe in the Grade One Champion Chase at Down Royal in November.
There’s plenty to like but one niggling concern is his age as no 10-year-old has won the Ryanair since Albertas Run in 2011.
With that stat a red flag and the ground against the classy Banbridge, Stage Star might be able to further enhance his impressive Cheltenham record. Successful in the Turners Novices’ Chase at last year’s Festival, Stage Star defied a big weight and a shuddering last fence blunder to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup on his first start this season.
Stage Star disappointed back at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day but has had plenty of time to recover from that mishap. Paul Nicholls will have him primed for this assignment and there remains few better target trainer’s in the game.
If he gets Stage Star back to the form he showed in the Paddy Power, he could be hard to stop.
Team Britain can also strike in the Turners, the opening race of day three, with Grey Dawning fancied to deliver for Dan Skelton.
Grey Dawning has won two of his last three starts and would also have beaten Ginny’s Destiny at Cheltenham in December but for a bad mistake two fences from home. He should right that wrong here and Facile Vega could prove his biggest threat. Stepping up in trip looks a worthwhile experiment but his inconsistent overall profile makes Grey Dawning a more solid option.
The Grade Two Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle looks a cracking contest but the hype behind the Elliott-trained Brighterdaysahead is hard to ignore and the Gigginstown House Stud-owned mare is fancied to lower the colours of Jade De Grugy.
On the handicap front, Cleatus Poolaw is fancied to enhance Elliott’s brilliant record in the Pertemps. Elliott has saddled the winner of three of the last six renewals and the step up to three miles should really suit Cleatus Poolaw. The consistent Gaoth Chuil should also run well for Ted Walsh.
Elliott can also strike in the finale where Cool Survivor should go close in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase. Amirite should also be in the mix.
Crebilly looks set to go off a short-priced favourite in the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase but it’s hard to get away from the Jonjo O’Neill-trained seven-year-old. Arctic Bresil should also go well.
1.30: Grey Dawning
2.10: Cleatus Poolaw
2.50: Stage Star
3.30: Teahupoo (Nap)
4.10: Crebilly
4.50: Brighterdaysahead (NB)
5.30: Cool Survivor
1.30: Facile Vega
2.10: Gaoth Chuil
2.50: Envoi Allen
3.30: Noble Yeats
4.10: Arctic Bresil
4.50: Jade De Grugy
5.30: Amirite
