The Champion Stayers Hurdle headlines day three of this year’s Punchestown Festival, and we’re giving punters a guide to all eight contenders for the Grade One prize.
Willie Mullins has had two outstanding multiple winners in past renewals, with Quevega scoring for four straight years and Klassical Dream landing a treble, but this season it is a Gordon Elliott-trained star seeking to complete a hat-trick.
Below, you can find out how we rate each runner in reverse order. But first, the odds for this year’s Punchestown Champion Stayers’ Hurdle.
Punchestown Champion Stayers' Hurdle Odds
Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle 2026 Odds
Horse | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Teahupoo | 2/1 | 33.3% |
Kawaboomga | 7/2 | 22.2% |
Honesty Policy | 5/1 | 16.7% |
Jimmy Du Seuil | 5/1 | 16.7% |
Bob Olinger | 11/2 | 15.4% |
Jetara | 28/1 | 3.4% |
Franciscan Rock | 33/1 | 2.9% |
Meet And Greet | 100/1 | 1.0% |
*Prices are subject to fluctuation
Runner Rankings
Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle Tips: All Eight Runners Ranked
8. Meet And Greet
8. Meet And Greet – 100/1
Oliver McKiernan’s charge was pulled up after fading out late on in this contest 12 months ago and looks in too deep again after being campaigned as a novice chaser this season.
7. Franciscan Rock
7. Franciscan Rock – 33/1
Did his connections proud when a 50/1 second of 24 in a typically hot Cheltenham handicap but has found the opposition too strong when competing in this event for the last couple of years.
6. Jetara
6. Jetara – 28/1
This season has been a struggle for Jessica Harrington’s mare but her Punchestown Festival record warrants some respect, having finished second to Ballyburn in a Grade One novice hurdle two years ago and third in this race last term.
5. Jimmy Du Seuil
5. Jimmy Du Seuil – 5/1
Looked set for a bright career over fences after following up a fine handicap hurdle win at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival by beating The Big Westerner in an above average Fairyhouse beginners chase back in November.
Jimmy Du Seuil’s next two efforts in that sphere were disappointing but he returned to form with a fair third in the WillowWarm Gold Cup at Fairyhouse and may be further rejuvenated by this switch back to smaller obstacles.
4. Kawaboomga
4. Kawaboomga – 7/2
Showed plenty of promise as a novice last winter before suffering a setback, chasing home Kopek Des Bordes at Leopardstown before beating William Munny at Fairyhouse.
Returned from over a year off in February and after blowing the cobwebs away at Gowran Park that day, Kawaboomga improved when stepped up to two and a half miles at Fairyhouse over Easter, finishing a solid second to Slade Steel, but his stamina will be tested even further at this level.
3. Honesty Policy
3. Honesty Policy – 5/1
Elliott earmarked this six-year-old as a future staying star after he followed up a Grade One novice success at Aintree last season by making Jasmin De Vaux pull out all the stops on his first try at three miles here 12 months ago.
Moving into open company has predictably proved a challenge given his lack of experience, but a good third in the Long Walk at Ascot, a creditable fifth at Cheltenham and another placed effort at Aintree all suggested he will get there in the end.
2. Bob Olinger
2. Bob Olinger – 11/2
Henry de Bromhead’s valiant veteran enjoyed his finest hour when storming home ahead of Teahupoo to secure a third Cheltenham Festival triumph last term and fared best of those running here when third to Home By The Lee back at Prestbury Park recently.
Bob Olinger hasn’t been out of the money in 10 straight outings and even at the age of 11, there are few fears about his advancing years, but a seven-length second to Teahupoo in the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown leaves us preferring that victor.
1. Teahupoo
1. Teahupoo – 2/1
There is no denying that he put in a relatively flat performance when a beaten favourite in sixth at Cheltenham but things just didn’t go his way that day on a surface which was much faster than ideal, so we’re prepared to forgive and forget one off day.
Teahupoo had previously added a couple more Grade One wins to his CV this term, edging out Ballyburn in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse and then looking better than ever over the Festive period.
Elliott has freshened him back up after hard Cheltenham battles to be a smooth scorer in this contest for the past two seasons and reported the nine-year-old to be “in good form” again for the hat-trick attempt during last week’s exclusive interview with BOYLE Sports.
Betting Tips
Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle Betting Tips
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*Prices are subject to fluctuation
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