Bob Olinger battles to dethrone Stayers’ Hurdle champ Teahupoo

Bob Olinger maintained his flawless Cheltenham Festival record when storming up the hill to take the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle under Rachael Blackmore.

Henry de Bromhead’s 10-year-old was seemingly the second string for owners Robcour, with their reigning champion Teahupoo the 7-4 favourite for Gordon Elliott.

It was those two horses involved in the finish as Jack Kennedy rode the latter, but after they locked horns jumping the last, it was Bob Olinger who came out on top by a length and threequarters to triumph at 8-1.

Bob Olinger won the 2021 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and capitalised on the fall of Galopin Des Champs in the following year’s Turners Novices’ Chase.

De Bromhead said: “It’s unbelievable, a super ride from Rachael and great work from all the team at home. To get him back like that is incredible and I’m delighted for everyone.

“Davy Roche, my assistant, he’d take a bullet for him – he adores him. He said he worked well the other day and he’ll be ecstatic.

“He’s just a class horse and he was unbeaten here. I was at a preview event a few weeks ago and I wasn’t looking at the betting, but he was 66-1 and I was thinking ‘oh my God’, I couldn’t believe it.

“He’s a bit of a poser and a dude who loves the attention and deserves every bit he gets. He comes alive here and obviously loves it here.

“We had a couple of funny years with him, but he’s back now. You always hope they’ll come back and win another big one, but I never foresee anything winning anything!

“You live the dream and you hope and try to maintain them as well as you can. It’s so hard to get a good horse, so when you get a good one, you want to try and maintain them for as long as you can and I really feel we try to do that.

“It’s brilliant for Rachael. She’s just so good and is such a professional who works so hard. When she came back from injury our horses hit a bad patch of form, but she just does what she does – she’s class.”

Owner Brian Acheson added: “To see Bob coming up the hill like that when I didn’t think he would stay well, it was a dream.

“We ran him at Navan and then decided to wait for Rachael, who gets on so well with him.

“He came out of the clouds today and I said here comes the dude, because that’s what he is – a dude.”

Blackmore said: “We were very hopeful coming here, but for him to do it is fantastic.

“He’s a phenomenal horse and he’s unbeaten here. I know one day it was a fortuitous win after Galopin Des Champs fell at the last, but you need that bit of luck and today is a great day.

“He was a great ride everywhere today. He’s got speed and was able to use it at the end.

“When you’re riding for Henry, it’s a great help.

“It’s an incredible place, it’s where every jockey wants to be and I’ve been very lucky here. Any time you go up onto that podium, it’s very special.”