Bob Olinger poised for festive return

With Teahupoo having served a reminder of his class at Fairyhouse on Sunday, his owner Brian Acheson is now eagerly awaiting the return of his Gordon Elliott-trained stablemate Irish Point and reigning Stayers’ Hurdle champion Bob Olinger over the festive period.

Acheson’s Robcour operation sets a high bar in the long-distance hurdling division, with Henry de Bromhead’s Bob Olinger denying Teahupoo back-to-back Cheltenham Festival triumphs in March on what was another great occasion for the leading owner at Prestbury Park.

With a Hatton’s Grace hat-trick secured for Teahupoo, attentions now turn to the hectic Christmas fixture list, where Bob Olinger will return in either Leopardstown’s Christmas Hurdle on December 29 or cross the Irish Sea for another attack on the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham he won on New Year’s Day in 2024.

“Bob Olinger is in great form and he will be out either at Leopardstown at Christmas or Cheltenham,” said Acheson.

“We’ve got a bit of a debate going on because we have Irish Point to come out as well and one will go Leopardstown and the other to the Relkeel, which is a race we sponsor and always try to have something for.

“We had a great day with Bob Olinger in the Relkeel the other year, it’s a very special race that has had some great winners down the years and we try to support it as much as we can.”

While both Teahupoo and Bob Olinger have had their moment in the sun at the Cheltenham Festival, it should not be forgotten that Irish Point finished best of the rest behind State Man in the Champion Hurdle in 2024 and he has been out of action since finishing down the field in the French equivalent later that year.

Acheson is relishing seeing the seven-year-old back in action, while the Irishman is also eager to see if Liverpool Hurdle winner Hiddenvalley Lake – another in his swelling hand of staying hurdlers – can go one better than last year’s head defeat in Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle.

“You would love to see Irish Point come back to his best and we’ve Hiddenvalley Lake still there in that division to look forward to,” continued Acheson.

“He will go to Ascot for the Long Walk, where he was just beaten last year by Crambo.”