Teahupoo uses Galmoy’s glory to promote the Stayers’ claims.
After a straightforward victory in the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle, Teahupoo rose to pre-post favouritism for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
In the Champion Hurdles at Cheltenham and Punchestown last season, Gordon Elliott’s horse came in last place behind Honeysuckle. However, he turned the tables when he lost for the first time in his career to the superstar mare in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse last month.
Teahupoo was a 4-11 chance to give weight and a beating to five rivals at Grade Two level and could not have been more impressive when stepping up to three miles for the first time.
Teahupoo was ridden by Davy Russell, who was competing in his first Graded race since coming out of retirement to fill in for the injured Jack Kennedy. He rode Teahupoo like a top horse through the field and won the race before being asked to extend in the stretch.
Paddy Power lowered his Stayers’ Hurdle odds from 7-1 to 11-4 after he quickly dispelled any doubts about his stamina by running 15 lengths clear of the seasoned Summerville Boy.
Elliott said: “He was good and is a good horse. He is going the right way and the plan is to go straight to Cheltenham for the Stayers’ Hurdle.
“It was two miles in Cheltenham last year and I’d say this distance is the key to him – over two miles the gun is to your head the whole time. I know he was well beaten in Punchestown after that, but he wasn’t actually beaten that far.
“At the moment we have no worries ground-wise, although it (Stayers Hurdle) is an open race too.
“Davy (Russell) said he panicked and got there a bit soon, as he is so laid-back early but when he gave a squeeze, he leapt back on the bridle. You’d love the way he quickened from the second-last to the line.”
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