The Stayers Hurdle this century has been a race that has thrown out winners that have gone on to dominate the division for successive years but we have delved deeper into the three mile contest and came up with some stats that should point you in the right direction when it comes to placing a bet on the Grade One contest.
There have been 46 renewals of the Stayers Hurdle and since its inaugural running of the contest there have only been six horses go onto to win the Grade One that have been the age of nine or older.
When looking at the betting for the race this could make certain horses opposable in the current market with older horses not having a great record in the contest.
The super-mare Benie Des Dieux if entered for the event might be vulnerable with this stat, another of Mullins' brigade that has the same issue is previous winner of the race Penhill who is also now nine years of age.
Bacardys for the same handler is also tipped to be heading down the Stayers Hurdle route and the gelding recently turning nine and putting in a very below par performance last time out could be questioned in this race.
Five of the last six winners of the Thursday contest have previously won at the Cheltenham festival this plays straight into the hands of favourite Paisley Park who has now won three from three at Prestbury Park.
Although we mentioned Penhill may be vulnerable now being nine, the gelding has won at two previous Cheltenham festivals winning the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle and the 2018 edition of this race.
Apple's Jade has been hit and miss this season but has won at the festival before in the Mares Hurdle, this is the same case for Benie Des Dieux.
In the history of the race there has never been a five-year-old horse to win the contest, so it might pay to stay away from the younger horses.
This may explain why there is not one five year old currently set to line up in this contest March with the two youngest horses being Emitom and Bright Forecast at six years of age and both at big prices.
You would think there would be a link between winners of the novice three-mile contest the Albert Bartlett and the Stayers Hurdle but in fact there is not, with only one horse winning both races at the festival and that was the Willie Mullins trained Penhill.
The only other horse that this season is heading for the contest that has previously ran in the novice contest is Kilbricken Storm for Colin Tizzard who landed the Grade One in 2018.
A key stat that is worth taking note of is that 15 of the last 17 winners of the contest had either finished first or second on their final race before the Stayers Hurdle.
This brings plenty of previously mentioned horses near the top of the market but it also could exclude some high profile names with Apple's Jade being pulled up on her last start and Aintree Hurdle winner L'ami Serge finishing seventh in the Cleeve Hurdle last time out.
The Nicky Henderson's Top Notch looks primed for this contest if coming back over hurdles but finished third at Kempton on his final start.
Lisnagar Oscar for Rebecca Curtis, Emitom for Warren Greatrex and If The Cap Fits are horses that could all be entered for the Thursday feature but could be opposable off the back of this stat.
The sixth and final stat about the Grade One Stayers Hurdle is that there has not been a winning horse that wore headgear in the race since 1992.
This is a stat that trainers will know about but with many horses set to run this season they have been less than impressive in similar contests to this and may just need something to help them knuckle down and concentrate.
Although we believe Paisley Park will most likely land back to back renewals of the Grade One race we think that off the back of these stats Summerville Boy at 8/1 is a nice each way price.
He is a previous Cheltenham festival winner that last time out finished second by less than two lengths to Paisley Park and his trainer has recently confirmed this is definitely the route he will be taking in March.
