Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle Odds: Teahupoo 4/5 to win Grade 1 feature

The Gordon Elliott-trained Teahupoo bids for glory in the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown on Thursday after his win at Cheltenham in March.

After his win at Cheltenham in March, the Gordon Elliott-trained Teahupoo now seeks to become the first horse this century to add the Champion Stayers Hurdle at Punchestown in the same season.

The seven-year-old skipped Aintree last time and comes here seven weeks on from his success in the Cotswolds, attempting to put the stamp on a perfect season by justifying odds of 4/5 for the Punchestown Grade 1.

Tea party at Cheltenham

After finishing second-best in 2023 behind stablemate Sire Du Berlais, it was Teahupoo that went one better this spring as he won the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival for Elliott and Jack Kennedy.

He was strongly fancied to do so and, in the end, came home clear to the tune of nearly four-lengths from former two-time winner Flooring Porter in second spot, providing the Cullentra team with their standout winner in the Cotswolds this year.

That made it 2-2 this season for Teahupoo, after a winning comeback in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse in December when he held off Impaire Et Passe over 2m4½f.

The general feeling was that he would appreciate going to Cheltenham fresh and so it proved. The soft going also was a plus for him.

He's had seven weeks off to prepare for this and is 4/5 to complete the Cheltenham/Punchestown double – something that has not been done since Anzum in 1999 for trainer David Nicholson.

Mullins impeccable record

Willie Mullins has won this race nine times since 2010, helped hugely by Quevega (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013) in her pomp and, more recently, by Klassical Dream as he bagged the last three renewals.

An 11-strong field for the three-mile Grade 1 includes Asterion Forlonge (Paul Townend) and Monkfish (Patrick Mullins) for Britain and Ireland's champion jumps trainer.

Asterion Forlonge was only sixth behind Teahupoo at Cheltenham and warmed up for this with a three-mile chasing success in Grade 3 company at Cork over Easter. He's 11/1 now to aid Townend's quest to overhaul Kennedy in the race to be champion jockey come Saturday afternoon.

Monkfish, priced at 16/1, was pulled up in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham but has since run a pleasing fourth behind Strong Leader in the Liverpool Hurdle back in this discipline.

Neither, it has got to be said, would rank amongst the star turns to have emerged from Closutton to target this race.

Huge moment for Jack's title tilt

Given the expected level of success, Mullins and Townend can look forward to through the rest of this week at Punchestown, Kennedy's quest to become champion jockey for the first time can ill afford a setback in this race if he's to hold off the six-time winner.

He came into Punchestown with a seven-race advantage over Townend, but the champion has been busy eroding that over the first two days.

Teahupoo is one that Kennedy simply needs to get over the line if he's to maintain his charge.

Questions to answer for favourite

While Teahupoo went a long way to establishing himself as the top staying hurdler in Britain or Ireland at Cheltenham last time, it's not yet a foregone conclusion that he will confirm that spot now.

His record is best when fresh and, so, a mere 49-day turnaround from the Cotswolds to this race isn't deemed optimal for him.

A decent racing surface is forecast – yielding-good to yielding in places at the time of writing – and those seeking to pick holes in Teahupoo will note that of his 10 career wins, nine have come on ground officially described as soft or heavy.

Officially rated 164, Teahupoo has upwards of 9lb to spare on his rivals in this Champion Stayers Hurdle line-up, and, at seven years old, his connections will be hoping he is about to rubber stamp that position as the best around in this division. 

Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle Odds

• Teahupoo - 4/5
• Home By The Lee - 6/1
• Buddy One - 7/1
• Sire Du Berlais - 7/1
• Asterion Forlonge - 11/1
• Monkfish - 16/1
• Lantry Lady - 25/1
• Whatcouldhavebeen - 33/1
• Summerville Boy - 66/1
• Franciscan Rock - 100/1
• No Looking Back - 100/1

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.