Ante-post betting for the Cheltenham Festival can be fraught with peril but also laden with opportunity, especially at this time of the year, when many horses – especially in this day and age – haven’t had their first run of the season.
That can make for open Cheltenham betting markets, and the Stayers’ Hurdle – where most bookmakers bet 4/1 the field – could be ideal.
The favourite in question is Klassical Dream (11/4 Betfair Sportsbook), who returned from a long absence to dismantle his opposition in the Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown. That was a brilliant performance which underlined his natural ability (shown when he was a dominant winner of the 2019 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, and the Punchestown Festival equivalent) and at his best, one would have to assume he’d be hard to beat. However, he was brilliantly primed for that race, where it can be argued that plenty of his opponents didn’t run to form.
Now Klassical Dream must be respected, but taking a relatively short price without seeing him since doesn’t appeal and there’s also the question of how he’d fare at a strongly run 3 miles on the Old Course – a different test to what Punchestown offered.
Stayers Hurdle Betting Odds 2022
Here are the latest Stayers Hurdle betting odds 2022 for the leading fancies. Odds shown are from Betfair Sportsbook* and were correct as of 9th January 2022.
- 11/4 Klassical Dream
- 4/1 Champ
- 6/1 Flooring Porter
- 13/2 Thyme Hill
- 16/1 Appreciate It
- 16/1 Brewinupastorm
- 20/1 Galopin Des Champs
- 20/1 Sire Du Berlais
- 25/1 Darver Star
- 33/1 Abacadabras
- 33/1 Zanahiyr
- 33/1 Burning Victory
- 33/1 Thomas Darby
- 33/1 Ronald Pump
- Others available
Other Stayers Hurdle Contenders
It’s 8/1 bar (best prices) for other contenders, which offers potential each/way value even with rather ungenerous place terms and defending Champion Flooring Porter could be value at 6/1 with Betfair Sportsbook.
A brilliant winner of The Stayers’ Hurdle last season, having led his rivals a merry dance in the Christmas Hurdle (run over 3 miles at Leopardstown) beforehand, he boiled over at Punchestown when presumably also feeling the effects of a tough season, and he was still going well when falling two out in the Lismullen Hurdle. He’d carried a penalty that day over a trip short of his best, suggesting that all the ability which carried him to success last year remains – as you’d hope for a seven-year-old (at the time of writing.)
He can be very headstrong – and does come with some risk – but few could match him for latent ability and it’s clear that this will be his target come March.
Flooring Porter update:
“I was delighted with the way he ran. He ran a good, solid race and it was a long way back to the third horse. The winner is obviously very good. It was a serious performance by both horses. We’ll go straight to Cheltenham now” pic.twitter.com/59j4j2jBei
— Grant James Thomas (@Grant_Some92) December 30, 2021
Get the Early Buzz
For a second each-way bet against the field – if you’re happy having two at this early stage, then Buzz looks the ideal candidate. Rapidly progressive last season, he was second in the Aintree Hurdle to Abacadabras (not a bad performance considering the winner that day is a Grade 1 winner over 2 miles) and he took the Cesarewitch on the flat before a comprehensive victory in the Ascot Hurdle last weekend.
A step up in trip has always been mooted, and Thurloe Thoroughbreds founder James Stafford has since confirmed that, telling Sky Sports Racing:
“He was in great form and it was marvellous to see him do what we always thought he was capable of doing. He has always looked as if he wants two and a half miles and probably further – and he definitely wants further. “As soon as we know everything is OK – and I think everything is OK, as he has come out of the race all right – the plan is to make sure he is tickety-boo for the Long Walk Hurdle on December 18.”
* Stayers Hurdle 2022 betting odds correct at the time of writing. All Cheltenham odds subject to changes.
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