The Stayers’ Hurdle is one of the most competitive races at the Cheltenham Festival. Known as the World Hurdle until 2015, the top rated three-mile hurdlers in horse racing battle for supremacy at the famous Prestbury Park venue.

Paisley Park is the defending Stayers’ Hurdle champion after a superb 2019 campaign, which culminated in a three-length victory over Sam Spinner at the Cheltenham Festival. Scroll down for our list of the most important Stayers’ Hurdle trends and statistics below

Plenty of punters will be going through the Stayers’ Hurdle betting markets in a bid to find the 2020 winner. Here are our favourite race trends:

  • 20/20 had made between two and six starts in the past year.
  • 20 out of 20 winners had raced less than five times that season.
  • All 20 winners had won at least a Grade 2 prior to Cheltenham.
  • 20 out of 20 winners were between six and nine years old.
  • 20/20 had finished in the top two within their last three starts.
  • 19/20 winners were shorter than 15/1 in the betting.
  • 19 of the last 20 winners were in the top six in the betting.
  • 19/20 winners had previously won on the ground/going.
  • 19 out of 20 winners has won over 2 miles 4 furlongs or further.

Top Trainers For The Stayers Hurdle

With four Stayers’ Hurdle wins to his name, Paul Nicholls is the most successful trainer in the history of the race. The legendary Big Bucks won four Stayers’ Hurdle renewals in a row from 2009 to 2012, giving him a place in Cheltenham Festival history.

Since Big Bucks’ era of dominance, we’ve had six different trainers win this race in the last seven years. Willie Mullins is the only trainer to have two winners; Nicholls Canyon in 2017 before Penhill romped home in the 2018 Stayers’ Hurdle.

Stayers Hurdle Prize Money For 2020

According to figures obtained by the Daily Express, the overall purse for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival was £325,000. Paisley Park’s connections were awarded £182,878 for his success in the race.

Trial Races To Follow Ahead Of The Stayers Hurdle

The Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle, which is held at Haydock Park on Betfair Chase Day, is a race to potentially follow after Paisley Park’s success in 2018. In fact, the Emma Lavelle-trained superstar also won the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot and the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham before claiming victory at the Festival in March.

While Ascot is a right-handed track, the Long Walk Hurdle is another major Stayers’ Hurdle trial to follow. The Worlds End claimed victory in 2019 after Paisley Park was declared a late non-runner on account of the ground and the Tom George runner could be prominent in the 2020 Stayers’ Hurdle odds.

The Cleeve Hurdle is definitely a big race to follow – this is arguably the race to target for any Stayers’ Hurdle contenders. Eight of the last 20 winners of the Cleeve Hurdle have gone on to win the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival so make sure to find the latest horse racing results at Prestbury Park on January 25th.

2025 Stayers Hurdle Betting

Odds for the Stayers Hurdle at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival will be available in due course.

Cheltenham Festival 2020: Stayers’ Hurdle Tips

While Paisley Park dominates the Stayers’ Hurdle betting, it is always worth keeping an eye on upcoming contenders ahead of any Cheltenham Festival race.

Ante post punters can find the latest horse racing betting news, tips and previews via the 888sport blog. Best of luck with all of your 2020 Cheltenham punts!
 


*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

Steven is a sports and horse racing enthusiast and is a member of the Horseracing Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA) in the United Kingdom.

He is a regular visitor to Paris Longchamp for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and a lifelong fan of the Aintree Grand National, a subject he writes about 52 weeks of the year. Last year he reached the impressive milestone of attending the last 30 renewals of the Grand National.