PADDY POWER Stayers’ Hurdle

THE Stayers’ Hurdle has taken time to find its place as a championship contest at Cheltenham, and despite producing such outstanding performers as Baracouda and Big Buck’s, it’s never threatened to rival either the Champion Hurdle or Gold Cup for pride of place.

Thistlecrack tore his field apart when making most to score by a wide margin in 2016, but it’s rare for a horse to dominate the race in the way that he did, and the nature of the new course over hurdles leaves a long drag from the penultimate flight to the last obstacle, and it’s par for the course for much of the intrigue of the race to happen in that long section without a hurdle to jump.

That often leads to the field closing right up, and early track position is worth less as a result. What is needed is stamina to maintain a run up the hill, and a clear run around the final bend to ensure a good position with the push for the line starts in earnest.

Lisnagar Oscar got a fine ride from Adam Wedge to win last year, racing towards the outside, and then making ground uninterrupted when the early pace began to collapse, which put him in pole position when the field straightened for home.

That did not happen for Paisley Park, and while much has been made of a fibrillating heart, it is worth bearing in mind how the race panned out for him, and given how well placed he was at halfway, it’s disappointing that he met so much traffic in the scrimmaging which occurred heading into the final turn.

Aidan Coleman blamed himself for positioning the horse poorly in the Long Walk at Ascot, and backers will hope the rider is determined to be more proactive aboard a horse who can produce a very strong finish, but does not quicken instantly. He needs to be off the inside and in clear water when the race develops.

Like Paisley Park, Lisnagar Oscar had been unplaced in the Albert Bartlett the year before his win, although he’s earlier posted a smart performance to win the Grade 2 Prestige at Haydock, and was a leading novice.

The year before Paisley Park’s win, Penhill had won this race a year on from landing the Albert Bartlett, and while that race had not really featured as a key trial previously, it’s taken to time to find its own pattern, and three consecutive Stayers’ winners have now done so a year after contesting the novice over the course and distance. Sire Du Berlais arrives having won back-to-back Pertemps finals, and as it’s illegal in Gloucestershire to emulate Willie Wumpkins, he steps up in class, but did win the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle at Navan.

Neither that, nor his third to Flooring Porter in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle is good enough to win this, but he clearly comes alive over course and distance, and ought to reverse that form given his track experience.

Flooring Porter has improved hugely, and as a six-year-old promises to be the best of these in time, but he remains rough around the edges, wandering around after the final hurdle on his last three starts, and it remains to be seen whether he has the temperament required to cope with his biggest test at this stage of his development.

Of the others, Vinndication has attracted support and is a classy performer, but hasn’t raced over hurdles for three years, while The Storyteller is a player on form, but is demonstrably better over fences.

Fury Road was ahead of Thyme Hill in the Albert Bartlett, and while he hasn’t improved so far this season, he’s not been helped by racing in tactical affairs, and is the runner most likely to provide a shock granted a sound gallop.

Not an open-and-shut case by any means, but Paisley Park had plenty go wrong last year.

Lisnagar Oscar was back to form at Haydock, and shouldn’t be ignored, but if there is a to be a shock, then Fury Road could be the one to provide it.

SELECTIONS:

1. Paisley Park

2. Lisnagar oscar

3. Fury Road