The Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle was a superb race in its own right on Saturday. It has also had an ante-post impact for Cheltenham’s Stayers’ Hurdle in March, as we look into the movers up and down the market.
Saturday, 21st December – Long Walk Hurdle @ Ascot
For the second year in succession, Crambo denied all comers in a frantic finish to the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in order to claim back-to-back renewals of the contest. Fergal O’Brien’s charge lost his form dramatically at Cheltenham and Aintree last season, but has always been a capable horse when fresh, which he proved again on Saturday.
Despite finishing only ninth in the Stayers’ Hurdle last year, this win was enough to propel the seven-year-old into a distant second in the market at a high of 16/1 with Betfair and Paddy Power. He was 66/1 prior to the race, but a revival of his tenacity has been enough to convince some that things could be different in 2025.
In second, Hiddenvalley Lake dived but missed, narrowly failing to secure Grade 1 honours for the first time. He would have been the first ever Irish-trained winner of the Long Walk Hurdle, but it was also just his seventh start over hurdles, so this was plenty respectable enough. He is also 16/1, from a high of 33s, though Cheltenham is the only track in which he has finished outside of the first three over timber.
At the other end of the spectrum, disappointing favourite Strong Leader has inevitably drifted fairly markedly. He was extremely well backed into 11/8 by the off, but was off the bridle first and never reached a challenging position. This was an aberration on recent form, but he was nevertheless doubled to 20/1 from 10/1, with Olly Murphy having also spoken about how Cheltenham might not be his track.
Third-placed Beauport made a gallant attempt to make all, but as a chaser reverting to hurdles, he has not yet been introduced to the Stayers’ Hurdle ante-post betting. Just behind him was The Wallpark, who finished rapidly for fourth having initially seemed to fade early. Initial pushes out to 33/1 from 20s were cooled, as he is now a best price of 25/1 for the Thursday championship at Cheltenham.
Neither Kateira or Blueking d’Oroux were beaten far, the former without a price for the Stayers’, the latter remaining a 40/1 chance with SkyBet. The four-year-old Eagle Fang travelled well through the contest before fading for seventh, and both he and eighth-placed Botox Has cannot be found among the ante-post odds, though the other minor let down in the race, Shoot First, was another significant drifter, being available now at 50/1 from 25s.
Potentially the story of this race from an ante-post perspective though was the strengthening of Teahupoo’s position atop the market. Odds of 9/4 have now vanished about the defending champion, who can only be backed at a best of 7/4 post-race. Gordon Elliott’s charge may well remain at home until the Festival.
Stayers’ Hurdle Ante-Post Movers
Teahupoo ↑ 7/4 from 9/4
Crambo ↑ 16/1 from 66/1
Hiddenvalley Lake ↑ 16/1 from 33/1
Blueking d’Oroux → 40/1
Strong Leader ↓ 20/1 from 10/1
The Wallpark ↓ 25/1 from 20/1
Shoot First ↓ 50/1 from 25/1
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