Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle (Grade 1)

JACK Kennedy appeared to place one hand on a maiden Irish National Hunt Jockeys’ Championship when an on-song Teahupoo became the first horse since Anzum in 1999 to complete the Cheltenham-Punchestown Stayers’ Hurdle double in the same season.

It was a bittersweet result for winning trainer Gordon Elliott, whose veteran campaigner Sire Du Berlais suffered a fatal injury in the same Grade 1 event.

Victory for Teahupoo rounded off a perfect season for the Robcour-owned seven-year-old, who very much has age on his side in a division that has been well populated by older performers in recent years.

Turning up as an improved model since his fourth in the race 12 months earlier, the 5/6 favourite was in complete command on his way to a six-and-a-half-length success.

Elliott, notching his first win in the Ladbrokes-backed prize, said: “Jack felt very happy with him the whole way. Paul [Townend, rider of runner-up Asterion Forlonge] had him in a pocket for the first half of the race and he just said he had to get out of it. Otherwise, he was happy.

“He’s a great horse, we’re very lucky to have him. He’s had an easy season before this with a couple of runs in the Hatton’s Grace and Stayers’ Hurdle. I thought it was a good performance, he extended the whole way to the line. It was very important we got rain last night.”

On whether chasing could ever come on the radar for the top staying hurdler in training, Elliott, who notched a 1,009/1 treble on the card, said: “I’d imagine we’d keep him hurdling at the moment as he looks pretty strong in that division.”

Kennedy moved six in front in the title race through the feature-race success, ending the day as 1/10 favourite for the championship, having started the afternoon as the 6/5 outsider. It was a topsy-turvy spell of three races, as Kennedy was beaten on 5/4 market leader Coko Beach in the La Touche, followed by Townend getting turned over on 1/3 shot Gaelic Warrior 35 minutes later.

“Even without the championship or anything, I’m just delighted for the horse - he has been great to me,” said the winning rider. “He is really after stamping his authority on the staying division.”

On the loss of triple Cheltenham Festival winner Sire Du Berlais, also a three-time winner in Grade 1 company, Elliott added: “It’s absolutely heartbreaking. He’s been a horse of a lifetime for us at Cullentra and everyone is in bits over it. He’s been unbelievable for us and we’re all gutted.

“Our thoughts are with J.P. and Noreen and the McManus family. It takes the gloss off the whole week, to be honest. He always wore his heart on his sleeve and was a great horse.”