18:00 Punchestown

Thursday 1 May 2025

All14:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:2518:0018:35

Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 18:01 | Winning time: 5m 55.90s

Asterion Forlonge^t¹¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 149| BF| C| D

18/1

Smart hurdler/chaser. Running well unseating 2 out in Michael O'Sullivan Chase at Cork (3m, good to soft, 4/5) 11 days ag. Switches from chase to hurdles. Has a bit to find on form.

Form: 2-652U

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Colonel Mustard¹⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Keith Donoghue| T: L Fowler| OR: 145| C

22/1

Smart hurdler. Nineteen runs since last win in 2021. Creditable 2¾ lengths fourth of 10 to Maxxum in Grade 2 at Fairyhouse (20f, soft) 10 days ago. Likely to come up short here, though.

Form: -23254

Crambo^p1,t⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: J J Burke| T: F O'Brien| OR: 156| D

16/1

Has won the last 2 renewals of the Long Walk at Ascot. Only fifth in the Cleeve at Cheltenham last time and took a heavy fall in the Stayers' there last month. Cheekpieces go on first time.

Form: 98-15F

Franciscan Rock^p,t⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Gavin Brouder| T: M F Morris| OR: 147| CD

33/1

Useful course winner but beaten 20¼ lengths when sixth of 13 to Bob Olinger in Stayers' Hurdle (80/1) at Cheltenham (3m, good to soft) 49 days ago.

Form: 361136

Hiddenvalley Lake²⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 159| D

7/1

Second to Crambo in the Long Walk at Ascot in December, Disappointed at Gowran a month later but back on form with a bang when landing Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree (25f, good) 26 days ago. The obvious danger to Teahupoo.

Form: 13-271

Home By The Lee²⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: J J Slevin| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 159| D

9/1

Defeated Cheltenham Stayers' winner Bob Olinger at Navan and Leopardstown at the end of 2024 but suffered a nasty experience at the Cheltenham Festival and left the impression he may not have been over that when pulling up in the Liverpool Hurdle.

Form: -611UP

Meet And Greet⁶⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Phillip Enright| T: O McKiernan| OR: 143

66/1

Useful hurdler. Latest win in hurdle at Limerick in December. Creditable second of 6 in minor event hurdle at Leopardstown (18.3f, good to soft, 6/1) 60 days ago. Up in trip. Difficult ask.

Form: 7/6152

Rocky's Diamond⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Shane Fitzgerald| T: D Queally| OR: 154| D

8/1

Smart hurdler who bagged the Grade 2 Galmoy at Gowran in January. Creditable 10¼ lengths fourth of 13 to Bob Olinger in Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham (3m, good to soft) since.

Form: -51314

Teahupoo⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: Sam Ewing| T: G Elliott| OR: 163| BF| CD

5/4

High-class hurdler who this last year. Lost his Cheltenham Stayers' Hurdle crown when going down by 1¾ lengths to Bob Olinger in March but it was still a performance which suggests he's pretty much as good as ever. The one to beat.

Form: 111-22

Winter Fog⁵¹

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 148| D

12/1

Smart hurdler. 150/1, creditable 10½ lengths third of 7 to Golden Ace in Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham (16.4f, good to soft) 51 days ago. Significantly back up in trip.

Form: 433233

Jetara^p²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: J Bowen| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 146| C| D

6/1

Useful mare who has won 3 times on Flat/over hurdles since the autumn, returning to her best equipped with first-time cheekpieces (retained since) when narrowly landing mares' Grade 2 at Doncaster. Good 5¼ lengths third of 11 to Hiddenvalley Lake in Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree 26 days ago.

Form: 153143

Forecasts

Teahupoo (5/4), Jetara (6/1), Hiddenvalley Lake (7/1), Rocky's Diamond (8/1), Home By The Lee (9/1), Winter Fog (12/1), Crambo (16/1), Asterion Forlonge (18/1), Colonel Mustard (22/1), Franciscan Rock (33/1), Meet And Greet (66/1)

TEAHUPOO lost his Cheltenham Stayers' Hurdle crown to a Henry de Bromhead-trained Robcour ownermate but is taken to get the better of a similar duel this time and prove too strong for Liverpool Hurdle hero Hiddenvalley Lake. Jetara wasn't far behind the latter at Aintree and may prove best of the remainder.