Stayers Hurdle Tips

With a long and rich history, the Stayers Hurdle is one of the time-honoured races during the Cheltenham Festival in March. 

First run in 1912 when taken out by Aftermath against only three rivals, the Stayers Hurdle has increased in popularity since and is now attracted numbers of around 12-20 every year. 

Big Buck’s became the most successful runner in the history of the Stayers Hurdle when winning it four straight times. It was considered the best hurdler in the world at that time and when he was retired in 2014, that opened up the competition. 

Inglis Drever was a three-time winner of the Stayers Hurdle in 2005, 2007 and 2008.  

The Stayers Hurdle has adopted many different names throughout the course of history. It has been called the World Hurdle, Stayers Selling Hurdle, Spa Hurdle and has now settled as the Stayers Hurdle. 

As he has with many of the Cheltenham Festival races, jockey Ruby Walsh dominated the Stayers Hurdle with five wins. His first came in with Big Buck’s in 2009 and he also rode 2017 champion Nichols Canyon to victory for owners Andrea and Graham Wylie, who also owned Inglis Drever. 

The history of betting on the Stayers Hurdle is complete with short-priced favourites and long shots. Big Buck’s scored at 7.00 in 2009 but was backed into an odds-on quote for each of his three remaining wins. 

Since 1988, Big Buck’s 1.85 winning price is the lowest odds paid out, with Anzum’s 41.00 odds in 1999 being the highest odds. 

After winning the Stayers' Hurdle in 2019, and remaining unbeaten for the best part of two seasons, Paisley Park was the hot-favourite to defend his crown in 2020.

In a real shock, the favourite was comfortably beaten, as 66/1 outsider Lisnagar Oscar powered up Cleeve Hill to win the Stayers' Hurdle.