Champion Stayers Hurdle Preview: Bacardys the tip-ple

Willie Mullins is the leading trainer of the Champion Stayers Hurdle with six wins – four of those came via Quevega – and amongst his seven runners this year he has the favourite in the shape of Stayers’ Hurdle winner Penhill.

Pen to write history?

Penhill didn’t have his anticipated Flat campaign last year (reportedly not easy to train), and was having his first run since this meeting last year when winning the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last time by two lengths from Supasundae.

That was Penhill’s second win at the Cheltenham Festival having won the Albert Bartlett in 2017, and his trainer clearly had him spot on for the day. He also had the race run to suit, aided by a good ride in a steadily-run affair. The staying hurdle division still looks open, though, and Penhill failed to follow up at this meeting last year, so it could be worth taking him on at short odds.

Mullins also runs Bacardys, who was far from disgraced back over hurdles at Cheltenham last time, likely to have finished third to Penhill had he completed. He didn’t get the chance to show what he could do, either, poorly placed behind a wall of horses when the tempo picked up, making good headway when falling at the last.

Big-race tactics could be key

The make-up of Thursday’s race (an even pace is forecast with Faugheen (4), La Bague Au Roi (12) and Shaneshill (19) all expected to go forward, though not at a breakneck pace) should suit Bacardys (1) more than at Cheltenham. He remains one to be interested in, and makes slightly more appeal than stablemate Penhill at the prices.The spark seems to have gone from Faugheen, who finished a well-beaten sixth in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last time, but he could be worth trying back over this longer trip (won over three miles earlier in his career).

La Bague Au Roi is trained by Warren Greatrex – who won this race with One Track Mind two years ago – and is not discounted too readily; she was much better than the result when seventh behind Benie des Dieux in the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham last time, just headed when making a chance-ending mistake at the last, and will appreciate the step back up in trip here.

Thief bids to take another big pot

Identity Thief proved a revelation markedly up in trip when winning the Stayers Hurdle (Liverpool) at Aintree last time by five lengths from Wholestone, producing a career-best effort. He is still only an eight-year-old and, on that showing, he will be a serious contender in all the staying races from now on.

Jezki, winner of this race in 2015, was possibly amiss when pulled up in the Keelings Irish Strawberry Hurdle won by Coquin Mans at Fairyhouse last time, and is rated better than that, while Diamond Cauchois needs to improve on his five and a half lengths second in that race but is not completely written off given his leading connections.

Conclusion

This looks a relatively open renewal, and - despite being top on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings -the short odds of Penhill don’t really whet the appetite. At a bigger price, it could pay to side with his stablemate Bacardys, who wouldn’t have been beaten far by Penhill at Cheltenham last time had he not fallen. Identity Thief also needs mentioning after showing much improved form over this trip at Aintree.

Recommended bet:

Back Bacardys to win the Champion Stayers Hurdle on Thursday at 9/2