Stayers' Hurdle Trends For The 2026 Cheltenham Festival

By James Stoddart

Feb 17th, 2026 7:49 AM EST

Used 33 Times Today

Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose!

Bonus Code

BOOKIES

Visit Site

Must be 21+ to participate (18+ in KY). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, IL, IA, KY, KS, LA, MD, MO, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA). Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ). Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). CALL 1-877-770-STOP (LA). Must be present in LA (select parishes). Licensee partner Amelia Belle Casino. Minimum $10 deposit required. Minimum odds -500 or greater. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. New customers only. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.

2026 Stayers' Hurdle Trends

The trends of a race can be really useful to follow when looking for winners to back at Cheltenham betting sites, so we've taken a look at the most important Stayers' Hurdle trends from the last 10 years for you. We've used them to find you the best horses to follow right now in the 2026 Stayers' Hurdle when placing wagers with the best horse racing betting sites.

Stayers' Hurdle Free Bet Offers

The last 10 winners:

• Last ran in a Graded hurdle and not in a handicap.
• Had run at least twice in the last 12 months.
• Last ran at Cheltenham or in Ireland.
• Had eight or more runs over hurdles and at least three wins.

Nine of the last 10 winners:

• Had run at Cheltenham before, seven at the Festival (Flooring Porter).
• Last ran in a race more than 32 days ago (Sire Du Berlais).
• Had placed over hurdles over a distance of at least 3m (Nichols Canyon).
• Finished in the first four last time out, four winning and two finishing second (Nichols Canyon).
• Had at least one Grade 1 win (Lisnagar Oscar)

Eight of the last 10 winners:

• Had run at least twice that season (Penhill, Teahupoo).
• Last ran no more than 80 days ago (Penhill, Teahupoo).
• Had three or more wins on a left-handed track (Lisnagar Oscar, Teahupoo).
• Were aged between six and nine (Sire Du Berlais, Bob Olinger).
• Had won at least one Grade 1 or Grade 2 hurdle over 3m (Nichols Canyon, Bob Olinger).

Used 21 Times Today

$1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets If You Don't Win + $50 in BetMGM Rewards Points
Bonus Code: BOOKIESBRP1500

Bonus Code

BOOKIESBRP1500

Visit Site

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US) Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR) 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See http://BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.

Key Trials From The Last 10 Years

Three of the last 10 winners last ran in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham (Thistlecrack, Paisley Park and Lisnagar Oscar). No trial has a better record in producing the winner of the Stayers' Hurdle, and in 2026 the race was won by Ma Shantou.

The Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham has also proved a useful trial, with one winner and several placed finishers in the past 10 years. Kabral Du Mathan won this season's renewal for Dan Skelton.

Only one winner in the last 10 years had never run at Cheltenham before - Flooring Porter in 2021. The others had all run at least once at the course, so it pays to look at other Cheltenham hurdle races, too.

Flooring Porter, winner of the 2021 and 2022 renewals, had last run in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown in December before both wins, and so did Bob Olinger ahead of his 2025 win. Teahupoo won the 2025 renewal of the Christmas Hurdle.

Trainer Trends

• Paul Nicholls has won the race four times overall, more than any other trainer, but all wins were by his star staying hurdler Big Buck’s. The last of those victories came in 2012. Nicholls has had three placed horses since.
• Willie Mullins has won two of the last nine Stayers' Hurdles, both winners being aged seven and bred in Britain. He's also had just four placed horses in the past 13 years from 25 runners.
• The last five winners were trained in Ireland, with two wins apiece for Gordon Elliott and Gavin Cromwell plus one for Henry de Bromhead.

Jockey Trends

There are no notable jockey trends in the Stayers' Hurdle, though Danny Mullins has won twice on Flooring Porter. Jack Kennedy won in 2024 on Teahupoo and then finished second a year later on the same horse.

Used 22 Times Today

Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose

Bonus Code

BOOKIES

Visit Site

Must be 21+ to participate (18+ in KY). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, IL, IA, KY, KS, LA, MD, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA). Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ). Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). CALL 1-877-770-STOP (LA). Must be present in LA (select parishes). Licensee partner Amelia Belle Casino. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bets wager excluded from returns. New Customer only. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.

How Did the Trends do Last Year?

Bob Olinger was somewhat of a surprise winner, taking his third Cheltenham Festival win at odds of 8/1, but he actually fit almost all of the trends. His previous race was the Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle, a 3m Graded race, which he came second in some 75 days prior to the festival, and was already a seasoned hurdler with 13 runs to his name by that point.

The Henry de Bromhead horse had also run twice that season, albeit winning neither race, and really the only things going against him was being 10 years old and not having a Grade 1 or Grade 2 hurdle win over 3m under his belt.

Check out our favourite horse racing betting sites.

2025 Stayers' Hurdle Result

Used 21 Times Today

Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose

Visit Site

Must be 21+ to participate (18+ in KY). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, IL, IA, KY, KS, LA, MD, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA). Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ). Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). CALL 1-877-770-STOP (LA). Must be present in LA (select parishes). Licensee partner Amelia Belle Casino. Deposit required. Paid in Bonus Bets. Bets wager excluded from returns. New Customer only. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.

Who Fits The Trends Best In 2026?

As has seemingly been the case every year for four years now, 2024 Stayers' winner Teahupoo tops the trends picks. The experienced Gordon Elliott horse came second behind Bob Olinger last year and fit almost every trend then and does so again here.

Focusing on seasonal trends and trials here, Teahupoo's last run was the Leopardstown Christmas Hurdle on December 28, which he won comfortably and was his third run since the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. He won his third race around a left-handed track at Cheltenham in 2024, adding Leopardstown to his leftie hitlist last year, and is nine years old so right at the top end of the age trends.

2026 Stayers' Hurdle Betting Odds

Cheltenham Festival 2026 Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day One Trends

• Supreme Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Arkle Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Ultima Handicap Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Mares' Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Hurdle Trends
• Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Trends
• National Hunt Novices' Chase Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Two Trends

• Turners Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Brown Advisory Novices' Chase Trends
• Coral Cup Trends
• Cheltenham Cross Country Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Chase Trends
• Grand Annual Chase Trends
• Cheltenham Champion Bumper Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Three Trends

• Cheltenham Mares' Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase
• Pertemps Final Trends
• Ryanair Chase Trends
• Stayers' Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Festival Plate Handicap Trends
• Kim Muir Handicap Chase Trends

Cheltenham Festival Day Four Trends

• Triumph Hurdle Trends
• County Hurdle Trends
• Mares' Chase Trends
• Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Trends
• Cheltenham Gold Cup Trends
• Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase Trends
• Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle Trends

About the Author

James Stoddart

More About James

Born in Liverpool, James is an LFC fan and season ticket holder. He's got an interest in playing and watching most sports including golf, darts, football and horse racing. As a keen punter, he's always on the lookout for value and loves spotting something at a big price that fits the trends. He applies this to online casino too, and is always looking to beat the house.

Comments

Sign In | Sign Up

Post

View more