A tough and more reliable Teahupoo is fancied to back up his Cheltenham success in style
After going two and a half days without a winner and smacking the crossbar on umpteen occasions, boy did the Cullentra House camp need Teahupoo to come up trumps in the Stayers' Hurdle. He was going to make or break Gordon Elliott's Cheltenham Festival.
There was a theory he had missed his chance 12 months earlier, when the race was there for the taking if he wanted it, but he was outbattled by his older and wiser stablemate Sire Du Berlais. Could he really be trusted?
Punters showed unwavering faith. He was backed from 7-4 into 5-4 before the off and duly delivered the sort of performance we needed to see from him. It was emphatic, a victory of nigh on four lengths at the line and the outcome was never really in doubt up the home straight. Elliott went on to add two more winners to his festival account and all was rosy in the garden.
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