Teahupoo set for two in Stayers' Hurdle

TEAHUPOO can win the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (GBB Race) (4pm) for a second successive season on the third day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.

- By CHRIS WRIGHT

Gordon Elliott's eight-year-old had been third to stable-mate Sire Du Berlais in the three-mile championship contest in 2023 but grabbed glory last year when travelling superbly to come through to land a three-and-three-quarter length success over dual winner Flooring Porter with the reopposing Home By The Lee third. Teahupoo, a dual winner of the Grade One Hatton's Grace over 2m4f, finally delivered on his promise when stepped back up to three miles.

He followed up with a wider-margin win in the Grade One Ladbrokes Stayers' Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival in May to put himself at the head of the staying hurdling division.

Teahupoo has only run once since then, when going down by three-and-three-quarters-of-a-length to Willie Mullins' Lossiemouth in his bid for a third straight victory in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse at the start of December.

Teahupoo looks good enough to overcome the lack of run this calander year and provide County Meath handler Elliott with third win in the row in the Festival feature.

Joseph O'Brien's Home By The Lee, who won the Grade Savills Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas, looks a big danger to the selection but may have to settle for a place again.