The nature of the Cheltenham Festival Stayers Hurdle is clearly evident from the very name of the race. With a distance of over three miles the entrants must possess a great deal of stamina in order to have any chance of lifting the trophy. Ensuring your horse has ran over the distance recently is sound racing advice and is certainly of the best tips we can offer for such a race at Cheltenham. Recent winners tend not to come from the betting market favourites and this could be the race to pick big priced outsiders.

Click here for the latest 2004 Cheltenham Festival betting.

As the winner of the 2002 Cheltenham Festival Stayers Hurdle, Baracouda went off a short priced joint-favourite for the 2003 event. He didn't disappoint his many backers and Baracouda became the first horse to successfully defend his title since 1988. Thierry Doumen pushed Baracouda to the head of the field shortly before the final fence and despite winning by less than a length you always had the impression there was another gear available if he came under more pressure. Berhard Geraghty continued his fine Cheltenham form taking second aboard Iris's Gift and on the evidence of this performance could be worth looking at in 2004. Limestone, the other joint favourite came in a well ran third place with the final furlong just being too much for him.

Stayers Hurdle Results
Year	Horse	Trainer	Starting Price
2003	Baracouda	F Doumen	9/4 JF
2002	Baracouda	F Doumen	13/8 Fav
2000	Bacchanal	N Henderson	11/2
1999	Anzum	R Phillips	40/1
1998	Princeful	R Hodges	16/1
1997	Karshi	H Knight	20/1
1996	Cyborgo	M Pipe	8/1

The following race is the Cheltenham Festival feature event - the Cheltenham Gold Cup.