Pulse Racing
Stayers' Hurdle

Detailed race analysis for the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival
* note all data is from 2016 unless otherwise stated.

RACE SUMMARY

One of two feature races of day three, St Patrick's Thursday, at the Festival.

First run in 1972, the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle replaced the Spa Hurdle and is the Grade 1 championship race for long-distance hurdlers at the Cheltenham Festival.

It is open to horses aged four and older with a minimum 130 BHA rating. Run on the New Course over 3 miles it is contested at level weights, with allowances for four-year-olds and mares.

The race is the ultimate test of stamina and hurdling over three miles.

WINNING PROFILE

AVERAGE AGE

8.0

159

AVERAGE OFFICIAL RATING

AVERAGE HURDLE RUNS PRIOR

PATH TO CHELTENHAM

The following races have produced the most Stayers' Hurdle winners since 2016:

(5) Christmas Hurdle / Savills Hurdle (Leopardstown, December)

(3) Lismullen Hurdle (Navan, November)

(3) Cleeve Hurdle (Cheltenham, January)

(2) Hatton’s Grace Hurdle (Fairyhouse, December)

(2) Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle (Haydock, November)

Number of horses that ran in these races and went on to win at Cheltenham that season in brackets.

TRAINER WINS

TRAINER S/R

Note: O'Brien & Cromwell are one win from two entries, hence 50%

WINS BY AGE

PULSE STOPPER

Half of all runners in the Stayers hurdle have worn some form of headgear (50.4%) with four winners (36.4%). Notably, fourteen horses have worn first time headgear of sorts, and they are 0/14 with half of them failing to finish the race.

The average SP in the last eleven renewals is 15/1, with two 33/1 and one 50/1 winner as well as three favourites.

PULSE INSIGHT

Grade 1 form is a key trend for the Stayers Hurdle with 10 of the last eleven winners having won a Grade 1 prior.

Interestingly, only four horses won a Grade 1 in the same season leading up to the Festival and of those four it included the three favourites which have won.

Looking at entries since 2023, the last four renewals, a total of 12 horses were entered aged 10 or 11 (6 each). From these there were three winners which would have returned a profit of £64.80 to a £1 level stake.

The Stayers hurdle has had three winning favourites at average odds of 6/5 in the last eleven renewals so when you see the average odds over 11 years is over 15/1 it’s not consistent or easily predictable. One 50/1 winner and two 33/1 shots in the last seven years is testament to that.

Experience and age is clearly not a negative in the Stayers.

Nine from the last ten winners had also ran at a previous festival.

PULSE EDGE

PULSE SUMMARY

Age Trend Forming?

The average age of the Stayers Hurdle winner is exactly 8 from the last 11 renewals. That said only one 8-year-old has won in that period with ages ranging from 6 (one winner) to 11 (two winners). The last four years have seen the two 11-year-olds and a 10-year-old winner, so clearly age is no barrier though, given the small sample size, it remains to be seen if this is a trend forming.

Irish-trained horses have dominated recently, winning the last six Stayers' Hurdles and bar Flooring Porter's first win, all had prior Cheltenham Festival experience.

PULSE VERDICT

Pulse Rate

Aged 10 or 11 since 2023 3/12 25% | £64.80 to £1 level stakes

Pulse Stopper

First-time Headgear 0/14 | 0%

Pulse Insight

Grade 1 Winner 9/10 | 90%

Pulse Edge

Previous Festival Runner 9/10 | 90%

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ALL DATA FROM 2016 UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

LAST UPDATED SEPT 2026

Pulse Racing Stayers' Hurdle

Detailed race analysis for the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival * note all data is from 2016 unless otherwise stated.