'You'd have to be delighted with everything he's done' - top trainers on a star-studded Stayers' Hurdle

Plain sailing it has not been but Blazing Khal is set to take his chance in the Stayers' Hurdle, despite what trainer Charles Byrnes has repeatedly labelled a "poor preparation".

Among the leading staying novices over hurdles last season, he was a key contender for the Albert Bartlett at last season's festival following a pair of Grade 2 wins at Cheltenham before a setback ruled him out of the race and the rest of the season.

He returned from 14 months in the wilderness to win the Boyne Hurdle at Naas last month, a victory which propelled him to the head of the Stayers' Hurdle market, but a cut to his fetlock again interrupted his preparation and Byrnes was hardly blown away by an away day at the Curragh recently.

Blazing Khal will once again be partnered by the trainer's conditional rider son Philip, who is unable to claim his 5lb allowance in this Grade 1, and Byrne snr is fearful of rain.

"We're here now and hoping for the best," said the trainer. "Unfortunately we can't change the fact he has had a poor preparation but he seems in good form and travelled over well. His best form has been on good to soft ground so we wouldn't want it too soft for him."

Teahupoo leads the way for Elliott

Win, lose or draw, Teahupoo has already enjoyed a remarkable season, becoming the first to beat wondermare Honeysuckle when successful in the Grade 1 Hatton's Grace in December before slamming inferior rivals in the Galmoy Hurdle the following month.

A horse who has always been held in high regard by trainer Gordon Elliott, Teahupoo came undone on good to soft ground in last season's Champion Hurdle but appears to have found his vocation since stepping up in trip and any further rain will not be against him.

"You'd have to be delighted with everything Teahupoo has done this season," said Elliott. "Jack Kennedy gave him a brilliant ride to beat Honeysuckle in the Hatton's Grace and he progressed again in the Galmoy. The ground ought to be perfect for him and he's been in great form at home over the last few weeks."

Elliott also runs festival regular Sire Du Berlais, who will be making his fifth consecutive appearance at Cheltenham in March having won back-to-back Pertemps Finals in 2019 and 2020 and finished runner-up to Flooring Porter in this race in 2021.

He hasn't been at his best on his four runs since November but was a Grade 1 winner as recently as last April when beating Flooring Porter at Aintree and is a horse not to take likely at this time of year.

Elliott added: "If Sire Du Berlais came back to the sort of form he showed at Aintree last season he could run well but he looks to have plenty on his plate."

'Flooring Porter loves it here'

A perfect record at Cheltenham and a perfect record in the Stayers' Hurdle, dismiss Flooring Porter at your peril.

Flooring Porter: chases hat-trick of Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle victories at CheltenhamCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Owned by the boisterous Flooring Porter Syndicate, the Gavin Cromwell-trained eight-year-old caused a 12-1 surprise when making all to land the Stayers' on his first visit to Cheltenham in 2021 before proving that win was no fluke when repeating the same tactics to retain his title 12 months ago.

Despite suffering a setback in January, Flooring Porter is following the same route for the third consecutive season, coming into Cheltenham a fresh horse having last run behind Home By The Lee and Ashdale Bob in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

"He's in great form and we're as happy as we could be with him considering he missed a bit of time," said Cromwell. "He obviously has form in this race but it looks a very good renewal this year so he'll have to be on his A-game. He loves this track and he always comes into himself this time of year."

Home By The Lee a 'better horse' this year

Only sixth in this race last season, Home By The Lee comes into this year's Stayers' Hurdle on the crest of a wave having won the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle at Navan in November before following up in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown in December.

A former Grade 3 winner over fences, Home By The Lee has surely found his calling as a stout stayer over hurdles. Along with Teahupoo, he is the form horse in the field and, unlike many of his market rivals, has enjoyed an uninterrupted preparation.

Trainer Joseph O'Brien, who has no concerns whatever the weather throws at them, said: "He's coming into the race off the back of a career best and it will take another one for him to be in the shake-up here but he's in really good form.

"He ran a very respectable race in the Stayers' last year and hopefully he goes there a better horse this year. He's versatile ground-wise and has form on all different types of going."

What they say

Jessica Harrington, trainer of Ashdale Bob
He handles soft ground very well and seems to stay well up that Cheltenham hill. If he relaxes in the early stages of the race then I'd be very happy. He ran a great race in the Coral Cup last year so hopefully he can run a good race.

Jeremy Scott, trainer of Dashel Drasher
We might just change things around a little bit with him but it entirely depends how quickly they go. It wouldn't worry me sitting in but it's just about getting the fractions right and Rex Dingle will sit where he thinks is sensible. He'll have to run to his chase mark [to be in the frame] but there's no reason why he can't and he's getting there. He's one of life's triers and any rain certainly wouldn't be a disadvantage.

Gold Tweet: winner of the Cleeve Hurdle at CheltenhamCredit: John Grossick

Gabriel Leenders, trainer of Gold Tweet
He arrived on Monday and he's perfect. Blazing Khal and Teahupoo are two very good rivals and I don't know if my horse is at that level but I think he's better now than he was in the Cleeve. Whether it rains or not, the ground is no problem and it's a dream for us to have a runner at Cheltenham.

Hugo Merienne, trainer Henri Le Farceur
He's settled in well at Cheltenham and all is good with him. He had a little break after his Grade 2 win in Auteuil and has been in good form, so we thought it was a good opportunity to have a runner here and decided to supplement. I'm not confident because it's our first try here but he's going to like the ground and runs well fresh. He's won twice over two miles and five furlongs at Auteuil so the three miles here is fine.

Paul Townend, rider of Klassical Dream
He beat Honeysuckle in the Hatton’s Grace but Teahupoo came and nabbed us late on. Klassical Dream hasn't been seen since then, but he runs well fresh so that isn't a worry. He hasn't got a great record at Cheltenham since winning the Supreme a few years ago but he's been settling much better in his races and behaving himself a lot more this year.

Emma Lavelle, trainer of Paisley Park
All you want is a fair crack of it, see him run his race and wherever that takes him it takes him. The fact he was ridden closer to the pace in the Cleeve was because they weren't going fast enough. They then quickened late on and that just doesn't work for us. He's a genuine stayer but I think there are enough horses in here to make this a genuine staying race and hopefully that element won't be an issue this time. The stable form has been hit and miss but he seems in good order and that's all I can go with.

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4.10 Cheltenham: 'His lack of experience is a worry' - can Emmet Mullins and JP McManus hotpot justify favouritism?   

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5.30 Cheltenham: 'I've had this race in mind for a while' - key quotes and analysis for the Kim Muir   

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