See below the main Stayers’ Hurdle runners 2026 ahead of one of the big day three features on the Thursday of the Cheltenham Festival.
With the 2024 winner Teahupoo and last year’s hero Bob Olinger, who are both owned by Robcour, two of the leading fancies again in 2026 for the ITV Racing contest.
Stayers’ Hurdle Date 2026
📅Date: Thursday 12th March 2026
⌚Time: 3:20pm
🏇Racecourse: Cheltenham
🔄Trip: 3m
💷Winning Purse: £182,878
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV
Stayers’ Hurdle Runners 2026 – Who Are The Main Players?
Teahupoo
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Age: 9
Wins: 14
Prize Money: £990,138
The 2024 winner and the antepost favourite after a fantastic performance in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Six Grade 1’s to his name and showed versatility ground wise after predominantly racing on slow surfaces through his career and is likely to run to a high 160 rating.
Second in last year’s contest and will likely rate as Gordon Elliott’s best chance of a festival winner.
Honesty Policy
Trainer: Gordon Elliott
Age: 6
Wins: 3
Prize Money: £107,232
Grade 1 winner at Aintree in 2025 over an intermediate trip.
However, showed he can handle a stamina test when second at Punchestown on his penultimate start and third on seasonal bow behind Impose Toi.
He finished well and looks to be suited by the stronger test that Cheltenham will pose.
Like many, he is unexposed and helps give owner JP McManus a strong hand in his quest for a fifth success in the race.
Bob Olinger
Trainer: Henry De Bromhead
Age: 11
Wins: 10
Prize Money: £637,116
Last year’s winner under an inspired ride by Rachael Blackmore and boasts a faultless Cheltenham record winning on all four trips to the track.
In the veteran stage of his career now but showed he is still in good heart on seasonal debut when chasing home Teahupoo.
He will likely step forward from that and with an excellent record at the festival he is one to be feared, regardless that the greatest female jump jockey of all time won’t be riding.
Kabral Du Mathan
Trainer: Dan Skelton
Age: 6
Wins: 5
Prize Money: £174,432
Connections seem likely to roll the dice after indicating they would avoid Cheltenham for much of the season.
He was very impressive when winning the Relkeel Hurdle over two mile four and if he can handle the step up in trip then his natural speed could be a key factor.
Very hard to predict where his ceiling is and this Dan Skelton Cheltenham Festival runner could be a dark horse in this competitive division.
Ma Shantou
Trainer: Emma Lavelle
Age: 7
Wins: 6
Prize Money: £99,504
Very progressive stayer from a trainer who won this race in 2019 with Paisley Park.
Ma Shantou has an excellent course record.
Albeit the majority of top performances was in handicap races and will need to confirm his Cleeve Hurdle performance wasn’t a one off.
Will likely need to improve another 8-10 lbs to reach the top level but he will be popular each-way play on the day with punters.
Impose Toi
Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Age: 9
Wins:
Prize Money: £288,716
Comfortably held by Ma Shantou in the Cleeve but was progressive prior with Graded victories in the Long Distance and the Long Walk Hurdle.
Perhaps his latest under-performance was due to an aggressive early season campaign.
But he would certainly be of interest if he resumed progress. Particularly having beaten a handful of the predicted runners in previous contests.
Trainer Nicky Henderson has not won this contest since 2000 with Bacchanal.
Hewick
Trainer: John Joseph Hanlon
Age: 11
Wins: 12
Prize Money: £789,323
The 2023 King George VI Chase hero Hewick has been confirmed at a Stayers’ Hurdle runner at the Cheltenham Festival too.
He was last seen running 5th in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury at the end of November.
So has around 13 lengths to make up with the winner that day Impose Toi.
But with an overall 47% SR of hitting the top three from his 47 career starts he’s sure to still have his each-way supporters.
While his only previous run at the Festival saw him fall in the 2023 Gold Cup, that Galopin Des Champs won.
Stayers’ Hurdle Betting Odds 2026
- Teahupoo 2/1
- Honesty Policy 4/1
- Kabral Du Mathan 11/2
- Bob Olinger 6/1
- Ma Shantou 7/1
- Ballyburn 10/1
- Impose Toi 14/1
- Hewick 25/1
- 33/1 Bar
Note: 2026 Stayers’ Hurdle betting odds are subject to change
