Tag Archive for: Stage Star

Stage Star bound for Aintree after fine Cheltenham run

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Stage Star will head to the Aintree Bowl at the Grand National festival following his gallant second in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.

The nine-year-old tackled a trip in excess of three miles for the first time on the New course and was sent to the front by Harry Cobden.

He carried them along at the head of the field before being challenged by favourite L’Homme Presse two fences out.

He was giving Venetia Williams’ charge 4lb and it told on the run-in, as he finished three-quarters of a length adrift.

But Owners Group racing manager Dan Downie was delighted with the performance of the Paul Nicholls-trained Stage Star, who showed glimpses of the form that saw him win the Turners Novices’ Chase and Paddy Power Gold Cup in 2023.

Downie said: “He ran really well and was very much back to form, he jumped really well and travelled really well. He ran great. He was only beaten by a very good horse, we couldn’t be happier.

Stage Star and Harry Cobden after winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup
Stage Star and Harry Cobden after winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup (David Davies/The jockey Club/PA)

“I would think it is (his best run since winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup). Harry got off and said it is one of the best runs he’s ever had. He was delighted. It was just really good to see him back to form.

“He won’t go to Cheltenham, we’ll look to go to Aintree and get him fresh for that.”

Bond Broker is another Owners Group inmate of Nicholls in fine form and goes in search of a hat-trick at Huntingdon on Thursday.

Downie has high hopes for the six-year-old but is unsure about just how good he might be.

He added: “He’s a difficult horse to gauge in terms of how much improvement there is in him. But he seems to be learning all the time, so we’re hopeful with him. But at this stage there are no long-term plans with him.”

Paul Nicholls at Kempton
Paul Nicholls has seen his Ditcheat gallops damaged by heavy rain (Steven Paston/The Jockey Club/PA)

Meanwhile, Nicholls’ preparations at his Ditcheat base have been hit by heavy rain that has rendered some of his facilities unusable.

Nicholls told Betfair: “It was biblical rain yesterday. I’ve never in 33 years seen weather like it and the amount of rain.

“Our hill gallop is absolutely fine, so we can use the hill gallop. Our loops and flat gallop are literally under water.

“You’ve never seen water like it, so we haven’t been able to assess the full damage yet because we can’t get on there, but I’ve never had water on the gallops, certainly not like we saw yesterday.

“I was out last night with Rob, my gallops man, and several others and we just couldn’t believe what we were seeing.

“The damage water does is absolutely incredible. As I say, we’ve still got the hill gallop, that hasn’t been affected at all, because the way it is, you don’t get water hanging about as a flood – it runs either side of it.

“We just haven’t been able to assess the damage yet but it’s not good, it’s just one of those things.

“There’s no point hiding behind it and saying it’s all going to be OK. There’s a huge amount of damage which we’ll have to put right during the week. We can still use the hill gallop, we can still school, but it’s not ideal.”

Caldwell Potter possible for Windsor in January

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Caldwell Potter could continue his education over fences at the Windsor Berkshire Winter Million meeting.

Paul Nicholls is keen to keep the grey to left-handed tracks and the Grade Two Download The Racing App Now Lightning Novices’ Chase on January 17 over two miles is a viable opportunity.

Nicholls feels soft ground and two miles could bring out the best in Caldwell Potter, who finished third at Cheltenham on Friday behind the Nicky Henderson-trained Jango Baie.

“He got some valuable experience which is what we wanted. I wasn’t going to run him then there was a lack of opportunities for him,” Nicholls told his Betfair Ditcheat Diary.

“He got some good experience, he jumped fantastically well but he obviously wants the ground a lot slower – I’m still not in my mind convinced what trip he wants. I’m sure over two miles on very soft ground he’d be more effective but it’s a learning curve for him, we haven’t seen the best of him.

“He jumped well at Carlisle but he jumped very well at Cheltenham and Harry (Cobden) was thrilled with him, we’re just building on the future with him.

“It’s so hard to find races for him as he likes going left-handed. He might have to go to Windsor in January.”

Nicholls was also out of luck with his two runners Stage Star and Il Ridoto in the December Gold Cup, who both now appear in the grip of the handicapper with the trainer considering alternative targets.

Stage Star has options at Windsor or Newbury next
Stage Star has options at Windsor or Newbury next (Nigel French/PA)

He said: “They are both fine. Il Ridito, Olive (Nicholls) had a lovely ride on him, they finished sixth but the 11lb he went up for winning the time before has scuppered him, really.

“He was on a proper mark when he won the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but the 11lb rise has not helped him.

“He’s had a couple of hard races now so we’ll freshen him up and find something for him in the spring, possibly at the Festival.

“Stage Star, carrying 12st in these handicaps is hard, he’s had a tough gig his last few races.

“Something like the Denman Chase (Newbury) or the Fleur De Lys Chase at Windsor, left-handed, not a handicap might suit him next, I haven’t made a definite plan but he’s not easy to place now.”

Stage Star pencilled in for December Gold Cup bid

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Stage Star’s return to Cheltenham will be delayed until next month after connections decided against bidding for back-to-back wins in the Paddy Power Gold Cup this weekend.

Paul Nicholls’ eight-year-old is a three-time winner at Prestbury Park over fences, taking the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival in 2023 before returning later that year to lump near top-weight to victory in last year’s renewal of Saturday’s November feature.

Stage Star blew away the cobwebs when fourth in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree last month, but although his trainer’s Ditcheat string has begun to hit top form, the gelding’s team are happy to forego the chance to repeat last year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup heroics.

Instead, the Owners Group-owned chaser is being lined up to contest the December Gold Cup that takes centre stage at Cheltenham next month – a race Nicholls has won a record five times and came within a short head of claiming again with Il Ridoto 12 months ago.

“I think he will go back to Cheltenham for the December Gold Cup instead (of the Paddy Power),” said Dan Downie of the Owners Group.

“He’s all fine and flying since Aintree and you’d hope he will come on for that run as well.”

Bravemansgame primed for Gold Cup assignment

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Last year’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Bravemansgame is approaching his peak in his bid to go one better.

While he is among the outsiders this year having failed to win in three outings, trainer Paul Nicholls believes he has valid excuses for all those reverses.

As he is a horse who tends to go well fresh, Nicholls has not run him since the King George on Boxing Day and is hoping a gallop around Kempton on Tuesday will put him spot on for his big date in just over a fortnight.

“He got beat in soft ground at Wetherby first time out and we then went to the Betfair Chase, again in testing ground, en route to Kempton, so I didn’t have a lot of time to get him right for Kempton,” said Nicholls.

Bravemansgame (orange) put up a brave defence of his King George title
Bravemansgame (orange) put up a brave defence of his King George title (John Walton/PA)

“To be fair to him, at Kempton he ran a really good race and in my view him and Shishkin would have been first and second. (Harry) Cobden has got his opinion and Nicky (Henderson) will have his opinion but I don’t think there’s much between him and Shishkin to be honest.

“He still got interfered with when Shishkin had his hiccup, if that hadn’t happened he still probably would have won but then he got stopped dead, and then still picked up and galloped all the way to the line.

“Harry thought he ran a solid race, I still don’t think we had him at his best because of the circumstances in the autumn. He’s right back there now, he looks great, Harry schooled him on Tuesday and he jumped good.

“He’s going to Kempton tomorrow for a little away day when he’ll work with Captain Teague but I’m very happy with him now. I think 20-1 is a massive each-way price. When I look at some of the horses ahead of him in the betting, I think he’s great value.”

Paul Nicholls with Stage Star
Paul Nicholls with Stage Star (Adam Davy/PA)

Another of Nicholls’ big hopes this year is Ryanair Chase contender Stage Star, winner of the Turners Novices’ Chase last year.

He began the season with a fine weight-carrying performance to win the Paddy Power Gold Cup but pulled up on New Year’s Day in very soft ground and he has not run since.

“Stage Star won the Turners last year and goes for the Ryanair. He needs to be fresh, he needs to be right and he’s not the easiest in the world to train as he has a few little issues but when he is right, he is very good,” said Nicholls.

“He won the Paddy Power Gold Cup off top weight very nicely indeed, even though he made a horrific mistake at the last, he galloped all the way to the line.

“I wish now I hadn’t run him on New Year’s Day obviously, but it didn’t work out. The ground had gone testing, he had top weight, he made a couple of mistakes and I don’t think he was quite at his best, but I was struggling to find any option in this country to get a run into him because he has to go left-handed.

“He’s had a few little issues, he’s had lots of physio and he’s back where we want him now, he doesn’t need an away day because he goes well fresh.

“Hitman will also run in the Ryanair but Pic D’orhy will go straight to Aintree. He’s a very smart horse, undoubtedly, and I think Banbridge deserves to be favourite (for the Ryanair) based on his defeat of Pic at Kempton.

“Hitman was third last year and is no forlorn hope. He ran well the other day when he wasn’t fully wound up but he jumped the second last upsides Shishkin.”

Nicholls confident Stage Star can get back on track

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Paul Nicholls has reported that Stage Star returned “a tad sore” after his disappointing run at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

A winner at the Festival in March, he also landed the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November and was having his first run since that success.

However, the combination of heavy ground and a handicap mark of 166 meant he was soon struggling and when his chance had gone coming down the hill, Harry Cobden took the decision to pull him up.

The champion trainer is not too concerned, though, and believes with over three months to go before his next target – the Ryanair Chase back at Cheltenham – he can get him fit and firing once more.

“He was a tad sore when he finished and when he trotted up this morning he wasn’t quite 100 per cent, so I’m guessing he’s pulled some muscles somewhere,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“He’s had a few little issues in the past. He made a couple of mistakes going up the hill and I wasn’t sure he was going that well before then in that ground.

“The vet is in this morning, he’ll give him a full MOT and we’ve plenty of time to get him sorted before the Ryanair. That’s why I was so keen to get a run into him now rather than in a month, as there weren’t many options really.

“We’ve got time to get him back to himself. He had a couple of runs last year when it didn’t go quite right.

“Yesterday morning I was looking for any excuse not to run him and that is unlike me because I’m always positive and always want to run, but when he trotted up and everything, it was all positive, he gave us no reason not to run.

“It wasn’t to be yesterday but I’ve been there a million times before with horses like this, we can just put a line through that run. We’ve loads of time before the Ryanair on spring ground and we’ll get him back for that.”

Captain Teague was a Grade One winner at Newbury
Captain Teague was a Grade One winner at Newbury (David Davies/PA)

On a brighter note, Nicholls landed yet another edition of the Challow Hurdle through Captain Teague at Newbury a few days earlier.

“I was pleased with him, he’s improving physically and mentally all the time and he jumped a lot better than he did at Cheltenham – he just idles a little once he’s in front,” said Nicholls.

“I haven’t spoken to Johnny (de la Hey, owner) about what we’re going to do in the spring with him, but ultimately we’re building his career to be a novice chaser this time next year.”

Shakem Up’Arry finds the back of the net at Cheltenham

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Shakem Up’Arry provided jockey Ben Jones with a first Cheltenham winner and Harry Redknapp with his biggest success as he struck in the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase.

Ben Pauling’s 10-year-old – who is owned by the former football manager – started at 11-2 as Paul Nicholls’ Stage Star was the most fancied of the field as the 11-10 favourite.

The latter horse carried the welter burden of 12st, however, and in the end it was Shakem Up’Arry and Venetia Williams’ Frero Banbou who pulled clear up the hill.

Pauling’s gelding pulled even further away after the last and secured a seven-and-a-half-length win on the line.

Redknapp was not at Prestbury Park to lead in his winner, but was immediately on the telephone to his trainer, who reported the sporting great to be thrilled with the result.

Pauling said: “He was very excited and chuffed to pieces. He’s a competitive man and you don’t go in the industry he’s been in all his life to finish second.

“I’m just chuffed for Harry and it will mean a lot to everyone that will. As an owner I would say it’s his biggest result and it’s important to have those days.

“Unfortunately he is at home and Sandra has a touch of flu so they couldn’t be here today, but it means a lot. He’s absolutely loving it.”

Shakem Up’Arry was sent off favourite for this race last term before finishing third in a similar event at the Cheltenham Festival, but finally got the victory his team craved with the assistance of the stamina-sapping conditions.

“It’s the first time he has ever found off the bridle,” continued Pauling.

“I slightly felt we were coming back to waters that have been swam before and would we just get the same result, but I don’t think he travelled today as well as he normally does.

“He was really keen in the Coral Gold Cup and he was just behind the bridle there today and maybe that is key, just get him to switch off. But that was proper.

“Luca Morgan used to ride him all the time and he used to say that over this trip he was flat out the whole way, so I dare say the ground has just about played right for him there.

“His first race of this season was an absolute disaster at Stratford and he couldn’t raise a gallop and he was too keen at Newbury, but we’ve managed to get it right by hook or by crook today.

Shakem Up’Arry in full flight under Ben Jones
Shakem Up’Arry in full flight under Ben Jones (Nigel French/PA)

“He will come straight back here in March and he’ll run in the race he finished third in last year, the Plate over two-and-a-half and he could go in the Ultima if the ground was quick. He will probably have an entry in both.”

On winning rider Jones, a new addition to his Naunton Grange team, he continued: “He’s a great lad and with Luca retiring we needed someone to come in behind Kielan (Woods) and Ben is going to fill that spot.

“Woodsy is a superstar and has done a huge amount for us, but I just felt after Stratford and it went so badly, he ran for Ben at Newbury and I’m sure he would have run for Woodsy, but I just decided to leave Ben on today and see how he got on. He does 10st 2lb easily as well, which is important.”

Assessing Stage Star – who was eased to 6-1 for the Ryanair from 7-2 by Coral – Nicholls said: “I think he landed on the ditch at the top and he just didn’t feel right afterwards. I’d say, just watching him trot up there, he’s a little bit off. He’s pulled himself about a bit, but there’s plenty of time to get him right.

“That’s why I didn’t want to run him a month down the line, he’s had a few little issues to get right along the way but I’d say he’s just landed on that ditch, that was the end of it really. He didn’t quite sparkle.

“It’s easy not to run them but he’s done that before, had a run and then thrown one in like that. We’ll soon sort him out and he’ll be back in the spring, you can put a line through that.”

Stage Star back in the spotlight at Cheltenham

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Stage Star will attempt to continue his Cheltenham love affair when he seeks further Prestbury Park riches in the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase.

Paul Nicholls’ talented chaser has thrived in the Cotswolds since being sent chasing at the beginning of last season.

Having landed a competitive handicap on Festival Trials Day in January, he returned to scoop Grade One honours in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the March showpiece.

He then recorded a third course triumph when surviving a final fence mishap in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, a performance which propelled the Ditcheat star towards the top of the Ryanair Chase market.

Connections had toyed with a trip to Leopardstown for the Savills Chase over the Christmas period, with Lingfield’s Fleur de Lys Chase also mooted as a possible destination for Stage Star’s Festival tune-up.

However, the decision has been made to return to the track he knows best, where he will shoulder the hefty burden of 12st in search of a £56,950 first prize.

Stage Star and Harry Cobden after winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup
Stage Star and Harry Cobden after winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup (David Davies/PA)

“There weren’t too many options to be honest with you, so we thought we would have a look at this,” said Nicholls.

“It is only a small field for a £100,000 handicap, but he has got to go somewhere en route to the Ryanair Chase and this is the perfect race for him.

“I’m glad we didn’t go over to Ireland, as it looked like it was going to be a hell of a hot race. I thought let’s come here instead, as he likes it at Cheltenham and he has won around there before.

“He schooled well on Friday, and he worked yesterday morning (Saturday), but it has been pretty much routine stuff since the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

“He loves it around there. I’ve no idea why, although he does like going left-handed. We have to run somewhere, as he can’t stand in his box until the Cheltenham Festival, and this race works out well for him.”

Stage Star at Cheltenham previously
Stage Star at Cheltenham previously (Tim Goode/PA)

Although Stage Star will have to give weight away to all of his rivals as he races off a career-high mark of 166, Nicholls believes he has the class to overcome the burden of being at the top of the handicap.

The champion trainer said: “He is possibly going to have to step up again off a mark of 166, but he is the class horse in the race.

“He is improving, and the form of his Paddy Power Gold Cup win has been franked with Fugitif, who was fourth that day, coming out and winning the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham, so I’d like to think he would be hard to beat.

“I do like to run good horses off big weights in handicaps. Phil Smith (former handicapper) used to say more often than not, the top weight in a handicap wins.

“It is something that we’ve done with lots of horses in the past and if it is the right race for them, then you do it.

Stage Star during his hurdling career
Stage Star during his hurdling career (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I don’t think it is the hottest race in the world, but it is competitive. His sole aim this season is the Ryanair Chase and this would be it for him until then.”

Stage Star will concede over a stone to chief market rival Richmond Lake, with Donald McCain’s charge arriving at Cheltenham on a real upwards curve and having won his last four appearances.

He was impressive in testing ground when a 14-length winner at Aintree on his most recent start and will have the assistance of champion jockey Brian Hughes for a rare assault on Cheltenham from this powerhouse northern team.

Meanwhile, Shakem Up’Arry finished fifth when sent off favourite for this contest 12 months ago before returning to be third over the track and trip at the Cheltenham Festival.

His petrol tank emptied late on when running a creditable race in the Coral Gold Cup on his reappearance and he now drops back in distance in search of a share of the £100,000 prize-fund.

“He ran a lovely race at Newbury in the Coral Gold Cup, he just did a little bit too much early doors,” said trainer Ben Pauling.

“I knew he would have needed that as well, because he had a very bad preparation. Hopefully, a drop back in trip on heavy ground at Cheltenham will suit him down to the ground.

“He seems to enjoy it (at Cheltenham) and if we can just hold on to him a bit longer and challenge a little later, we will see how we get on.”

Frero Banbou is another to bring course-and-distance form to the table, having finished third to Fugitif here in the December Gold Cup, and is representing the on-song Venetia Williams stable.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Torn And Frayed struck over the track and trip on Trials Day last season and knows his way around Cheltenham, despite failing to sparkle so far this term.

The select field of six is rounded off by Sam Thomas’ Al Dancer, who may turn 11 for this contest but has already shown this term he is not to be underestimated when winning at Chepstow before placing in Aintree’s Old Roan Chase.

Stage Star eyeing leading role on New Year’s Day

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Stage Star will seek more Cheltenham glory when he returns to the scene of some of his finest triumphs on New Year’s Day.

Connections did have the option of Leopardstown’s Savills Chase for a festive outing, with Lingfield’s £165,000 Fleur de Lys Chase at the end of January another possibility ahead of a tilt at the Ryanair in the spring.

However, the decision has been made for the Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old to kick off 2024 back at Prestbury Park – the place where he supplemented his Tutners Novices’ Chase win at the Cheltenham Festival with a thrilling Paddy Power Gold Cup victory on reappearance.

He lumped a hefty burden to success on that occasion and will be tasked with a similar weight-carrying assignment when lining-up in the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase worth £100,000.

“We decided against Ireland in the end and we’re going to run him at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day in the handicap,” said Owners Group’s Dan Downie.

“He will carry top-weight obviously, but it is a trip we know he operates over and a track he loves. It means we don’t have to travel all the way over there (to Ireland) and we thought it made sense.”

The Owners Group could also seek a valuable handicap pot with their former Triumph Hurdle champion Pentland Hills, who made an encouraging reappearance at Doncaster on Saturday when finishing second.

Pentland Hills made a pleasing return at Doncaster
Pentland Hills made a pleasing return at Doncaster (Julian Herbert/PA)

Nicky Henderson’s eight-year-old could now be set for a second crack at Kempton’s Lanzarote Hurdle having pulled-up in the race when out of sorts last season.

“He’s come out of the race well and we’re happy with him,” continued Downie.

“Nicky has actually been really happy with him this season and we have no firm plans, but we will probably have the Lanzarote in our minds as a possible target for him.

“He just wasn’t in any sort of form last year. He didn’t take to chasing and then it is always difficult to come back and the ground was pretty awful. I think you can draw a line through last season.”

Leopardstown trip being considered for Stage Star

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The Savills Chase at Leopardstown remains under consideration for Paddy Power Gold Cup hero Stage Star.

The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old won four of his six starts during his debut season over fences last term, including Cheltenham Festival success in the Turners Novices’ Chase.

He made a winning return with a tremendous front-running display in one of the sport’s most prestigious handicap chases at Cheltenham last month and connections already have one eye on a Festival return in March, with the Ryanair Chase his most likely objective.

What route Stage Star takes back to Prestbury Park remains undecided, however, with Leopardstown’s Savills Chase on December 28 and the Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield in January mooted as options.

On a trip to Ireland over the Christmas period, Owners Group racing manager Dan Downie said: “It is possible, I’ll have a chat with Paul next week and we’ll make a decision about whether we go to Ireland or not.

“It doesn’t matter where he goes now, it’s going to be tough.

“I think ideally we’d like to give him a run before Cheltenham, but we’ll have a chat next week, so I’ll probably know a bit more in a week’s time.”

Stage Star schedule fluid ahead of Ryanair tilt

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Connections of Paddy Power Gold Cup hero Stage Star are taking a relaxed approach as they consider an outing in one of the few opportunities available en route to the Ryanair Chase.

Paul Nicholls’ seven-year-old became a dual Grade One winner when capturing the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and survived a final-fence scare to deny the same rival, Laura Morgan’s Notlongtillmay, when making a scintillating return at Prestbury Park last month.

That superb weight-carrying display off a mark of 155 erased any doubts about Stage Star’s top-level credentials and with his Ditcheat handler immediately nominating the Ryanair Chase as his main target for the spring, he is no bigger than 4-1 to become a two-time Festival winner in 2024.

Stage Star survived a final-fence scare when winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup
Stage Star survived a final-fence scare when winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup (Nigel French/PA)

With a necessity to race left-handed and suitable options limited, Stage Star holds an entry over three miles in Leopardstown’s Savills Chase on December 28, while Lingfield’s £165,000 Fleur de Lys Chase during the Winter Million Festival (January 21) is another plausible option.

However, the Stage Star team are in no rush to nominate their next outing and, having come out of his Cheltenham return in tip-top shape, would even have no qualms about heading to the Ryanair without a prep run if the situation dictates.

“He’s really, really good and I was dreading the call from Paul on the Sunday morning because I thought having made that mistake, he might be a bit sore,” said Dan Downie of Owners Group. “But not at all, he has been A1 and everyone has been delighted with him.

“He has been given an entry at Leopardstown over Christmas, but I think we are very relaxed about it and the main aim is the Ryanair, and if there are any doubts, then we will have no issue going straight there.

“There is a pretty valuable race at Lingfield in the New Year and that could come into the equation obviously, but there aren’t that many options, to be honest, and we are pretty restricted in terms of where we can go with him.”

He went on: “I’m not sure as we get towards Christmas and beyond how easy it will be for Paul to say we are wrapping him up until March.

“But I think given the circumstances in terms of lack of opportunities, we would only send him somewhere if everything was A1 and if for whatever reason we weren’t that happy, like ground or whatever, then he wouldn’t run and it wouldn’t matter if we had to go to Cheltenham without a prep run.”

Stage Star survives late scare to claim Paddy Power glory

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Stage Star survived a bad mistake at the final fence and still won the Paddy Power Gold Cup handsomely.

Sent off the 4-1 favourite, the Paul Nicholls-trained and Harry Cobden-ridden seven-year-old confirmed his Turners Novices’ Chase form with Notlongtillmay in the process.

The pair were first and second at the Festival in March and it was Laura Morgan’s charge who once again was chasing in vain.

Stage Star made just about all the running and while top weight The Real Whacker gave him company for the first two miles, he dropped away coming down the hill.

Cobden was then content to sit for a few strides as the challengers mounted up behind him, with Notlongtillmay, Fugitif, Unexpected Party and Il Ridoto still with chances.

Stage Star quickened clear, though, and had the race in safe keeping until he made a horlicks of the last.

It was to his great credit that within a matter of strides he was back in top gear and went clear to win by four lengths to give Nicholls a third win in the race.

“He did well to win, you don’t often make mistakes like that, lose your momentum and gallop on. If he had not done that, then he would have won very well,” said Nicholls.

“It’s been a bit of a challenge to get him right, as he’s not one who wants to be taken away for a gallop, he’s not been anywhere, we’ve just got him right at home. He’s good fresh but it’s about getting that balance right between being fresh and good enough to win like today.

“This has been a target from when he came and if he hadn’t made that mistake at the last, he would have been really impressive.

“He’s got to be a Ryanair horse hasn’t he on that, he’s going to keep improving and his season will be geared back from that. He has to go left-handed and there’s no point going anywhere else with him, Ryanair will be the aim now

“He jumps left and you have to go that way and Harry said ‘if I’m in front turning in, I won’t get beat’. He’s given it a brilliant ride.

“He’s definitely improved off last year’s form, to win off 155 and win a tad cosily, even with a mistake like that, he has to be right in the mix for the Ryanair.

“If we didn’t run before then, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. I won’t run him right-handed, so that limits a little bit where we go, but that’s not a worry.”

Winning rider Cobden added: “I was going quite well and I was sort of in two minds and I wasn’t really committed to either of what we were doing, and he made a bit of a mistake.

“The peck on landing was where the real problem was after, he has probably gone from 25 miles per hour down to a walk and it’s a big ask to get a horse back going when you have only a furlong to go up a hill.

The November Meeting – Day Two – Cheltenham Racecourse
Winning jockey Harry Cobden with the Paddy Power Gold Cup trophy (Nigel French/PA)

“He’s an incredibly tough horse and he would run until he can’t run anymore, we’re just grateful to have him and I’m grateful to ride him.

“It was a massive performance and he’s carried a lot of weight there. I was most impressed with how he settled and jumped from fence to fence. He’s come here without a run and he hasn’t been away for a gallop, so all his fitness is what he has done at home.

“He’s such an honest horse they can get him 110 per cent at home and there’s no better man to target a race than Paul Nicholls.”

Morgan said of the runner-up:  “What a horse to have for a small yard like ours. Big days like this are phenomenal for the staff, everyone at home and all my family – it’s fantastic. To be here mixing it with Paul Nicholls it’s what we all dream of, so I’m delighted with him.

“He’s run a screamer on ground that is probably softer than he would like so it’ll be exciting to seem him on better ground.

“He jumped very well on the whole, missed a couple around the back at probably the most crucial stage but I don’t think he was going to beat the winner. He’s run a screamer and if Stage Star wasn’t in it then he would have been the clear winner!

“I’m dead proud of him and for a small yard like ours it’s fantastic.”

Festival stars fancied to go for gold again in Paddy Power

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Two Cheltenham Festival winners and a host of placed horses from the big meeting in March make this year’s Paddy Power Gold Cup one not to be missed.

Stage Star and The Real Whacker took the Turners Novices’ Chase and Brown Advisory respectively at the showpiece fixture, and both have featured heavily in the ante-post market on this historic handicap.

The former disappointed when last of five at Aintree after Cheltenham, but Paul Nicholls is not losing sleep over that ahead of the weekend.

“You can put a line through his last start at Aintree, which was one race too many after a busy campaign,” the champion trainer told Betfair.

Paul Nicholls celebrates with connections of Stage Star
Paul Nicholls celebrates with connections of Stage Star (Tim Goode/PA)

“The Paddy Power has been the target for him since the summer and there are plenty of positives, as he is brilliant fresh, having won first time out for the last three seasons.

“He also likes racing left-handed, will not mind how soft the ground gets and we know he handles Cheltenham.

“Yes, he does have a lot of weight because he is rated on what he achieved last year but it helps that the top one (The Real Whacker) runs, which means Stage Star is on a nice racing weight of 11st 7lb.”

Trained by Patrick Neville, The Real Whacker is a perfect three from three over fences – with all of those runs coming at Cheltenham.

Unsurprisingly, the Gold Cup is his big target and it is also not a shock connections have opted to start his season here, even with his welter burden of 12st.

The Real Whacker leads the way at Cheltenham
The Real Whacker leads the way at Cheltenham (David Davies for The Jockey Club)

“Two and a half (miles) is a lovely starting point for him. He won over two and a half in January in the Dipper,” said North Yorkshire-based Neville.

“We’ll just go our own gallop and if anything wants to take him on or go a cutthroat gallop, then we’ll let them on, as he doesn’t have to make the running.

“When he ran in Doncaster, we dropped him out stone last, so if something else wanted to make the running, it might even help carry him into it a bit, but we’ll see.

“Hopefully, he’ll run his race and come back sound and we’ll move on to the next day.”

Dan Skelton saddles Unexpected Party – fifth in the Turners and a Listed winner on his return at Chepstow last month, form subsequently boosted by runner-up Knappers Hill.

Skelton said: “Unexpected Party beat Knappers Hill, who came out and won easy at Wincanton, which he was entitled to do, being honest. I expected Knappers Hill to win that, so I don’t think it improves our chance.

“What it did do was offer comfort that I was as confident with Unexpected Party on Friday night as I was on Saturday night. He’s got the right profile for the race, but we thought that before seeing what Knappers Hill came out and did.

“He ran in the Turners at the Cheltenham Festival and he has turned up on some big days. The preliminaries before the race won’t get to him and that is a big part of it.

“He is a good traveller and a slick jumper, and I don’t want to put the mockers on him with a comment like that, but that is what he is good at, and that is what you need for a race like this.”

Another runner for Nicholls is last year’s fourth Il Ridoto, who also has winning form at the Prestbury Park circuit.

The Ditcheat handler said: “He ran a series of solid races last season carrying big weights and finally got his reward with a fluent victory at this track in January, then didn’t take to the National fences at Aintree (in the Topham).

“He is 6lb higher now so it’s a bonus that Freddie Gingell’s claim takes off a handy 5lb. Il Ridoto is a year older, more mature and should be knocking on the door again.”

Sam Thomas has enjoyed a good start to the new season and he sends out Angels Breath, who showed his well-being with a solid second over hurdles here last month.

“We were thrilled with him last time and it is sort of now or never really. He’s a nine-year-old in good form, so we thought we would take our chance,” Thomas said.

“It’s a very competitive race, but we’re lucky to have such a lovely horse and fingers crossed he puts in a good performance and comes back safe and sound.”

Also prominent in the market is the Lauran Morgan-trained Notlongtillmay, second only to Stage Star in the Turners in March.

“This was the aim, we’re 3lb better off with Stage Star and Stage Star isn’t going to get an easy lead like he did in the Turners – there’s going to be a lot of pace in this on Saturday,” Morgan said.

Laura Morgan has two chances in the Paddy Power Gold Cup
Laura Morgan has two chances in the Paddy Power Gold Cup (Simon Marper/PA)

“With The Real Whacker running, our lad goes in there with a nice racing weight (11st 4lb) and he’ll go through the (soft) ground, that wouldn’t worry me at all.”

Like Nicholls, Morgan has a second-string to her bow in the shape of Whistleinthedark.

She added: “I’m not too fussed about not getting a run in, as he’s done a lot of work at home. We’ve got a two-mile grass gallop and he’s fairly ready without having had that run to sharpen him – he’s not far away.”

Stage Star on course for Cheltenham return

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Connections are hopeful Stage Star will give his legion of owners plenty to shout about when the Cheltenham Festival hero returns in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on Saturday week.

Trained by Paul Nicholls, the seven-year-old is 5-1 favourite with the sponsors ahead of his return in the prestigious handicap that is the feature of Cheltenham’s three-day November meeting.

It is at Prestbury Park where Stage Star enjoyed some of his finest moments over fences last term and having carried a huge weight to victory on Festival Trials Day, returned in March to claim the Grade One Turners Novices’ Chase with a fine front-running display.

Stage Star on his way to winning the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival
Stage Star on his way to winning the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival (Tim Goode/PA)

His course form gives his ownership team plenty of hope ahead of his seasonal reappearance and although disappointing when a heavy favourite on his final start of the 2022-23 campaign at Aintree, he is yet to finish outside of the first two when running between October and December.

“He’s in good form and obviously likes the track,” said Dan Downie of Owners Group, owners of Stage Star.

“He’s ready to go and this has been the target for a while. It’s going to be tough and he’ll be carrying a lot of weight, but Paul is happy with him and we’re looking forward to running him.

“We looked at a few options, but he does need to go left-handed, so we were a bit short on where we could go, But we know he loves the track so we thought this would be a reasonable starting point for him.”

Paddy Power favourite Stage Star firmly on course for Cheltenham

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Cheltenham Festival victor Stage Star is due to make his seasonal debut at the Cotswolds track in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding had a successful time of things last season, enjoying a graduation to novice chasing when banking four wins including in the Grade One Turners Novices’ Chase at the showpiece fixture in March.

After a summer break the seven-year-old is now being prepared to return to action over the same course and distance in November, where he heads the ante-post market with the sponsors at 6-1.

“We’re very happy with him and we’re hoping to run him first time out in the Paddy Power,” said Dan Downie of Owners Group, to whom Stage Star belongs.

“He’s summered really well and Paul’s been delighted with him in recent weeks, so the plan is to go to Cheltenham with him.”

Stage Star after Cheltenham Festival success
Stage Star after Cheltenham Festival success (David Davies/PA)

Stage Star – who was also a Grade One winner as a novice hurdler – has been very effective over a trip of two and a half miles, though connections do consider him capable of stepping up in distance in time.

“We’ll just see how we go, we’ve always thought he would get further but I suppose this will tell us a bit more and we’ll go from race to race,” said Downie.

Donald McCain’s Maximilian also runs in the silks of Owners Group and he too is limbering up for a first run of the campaign after Storm Babet scuppered plans for a Carlisle debut this week.

The chestnut was a Graded-winning hurdler last term when taking the River Don before finishing second in Aintree’s Sefton, with a novice chasing campaign the plan this time around.

Donald McCain's Maximilian
Donald McCain’s Maximilian (Steven Paston/PA)

“He’s good, he was going to run at Carlisle on Thursday but we missed a bit of work last week because of the storm,” Downie said.

“Donald’s gallops were affected a little bit so he will run in the next couple of weeks, the plan at the minute is to go novice chasing with him.

“You’ve got to keep an open mind and be flexible but he jumps very well at home and really enjoys it, so we’d be thinking of a novice chasing campaign at the moment for him.”

Betfair Chase favoured for Bravemansgame reintroduction

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Bravemansgame is likely to reappear in the Betfair Chase at Haydock before defending his King George VI Chase crown on Boxing Day.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls will consider the Charlie Hall at Wetherby for his first run, which he won last season, but at this stage is favouring the Grade One on Merseyside on November 25.

The eight-year-old was the only horse to give Galopin Des Champs a fright in the Gold Cup and then got much closer to him at Punchestown, only for them both to be beaten by Fastorslow.

“It is highly likely he will start this season in the Betfair Chase at Haydock which has been a brilliant race for me with horses like Kauto Star and Silviniaco Conti and the timing is ideal ahead of the King George VI Chase at Kempton,” said Nicholls.

Bravemansgame (far side) ran a blinder in the Gold Cup
Bravemansgame (far side) ran a blinder in the Gold Cup (Steven Paston/PA)

“He is ticking over and could be ready for the Charlie Hall at Wetherby if the ground was suitable but we are leaning towards Haydock. It is an extremely valuable pot and Bravemansgame has won at the track.

“The ground at Wetherby was only just ok for him last year and we don’t want to be taking any chances. To keep our options open, we will probably give him an entry, too, in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury. It would be a tough ask for him off a mark of 172 but Denman won it off 174.”

One who could take in the Wetherby race is stablemate Pic D’Orhy, who won four of his five races last season, with his only defeat coming behind Shishkin in the Ascot Chase.

“I’m keen to step him up in trip and am getting him ready for the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby if the ground is suitable,” Nicholls told Betfair.

Pic D’Orhy won a first Grade One at Aintree
Pic D’Orhy won a first Grade One at Aintree (David Davies/PA)

“He is bred to stay three miles and is always keeping on at the end of his races. Then we will probably look at the Peterborough Chase. If he does stay three miles, it will open up more doors for him.”

Stage Star was another star for the stable last term and Cheltenham in November is on his radar.

“He isn’t the easiest to place but is brilliant fresh and goes straight to the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham. We will then make a plan with the Ryanair Chase at the Festival a likely target in the spring. I don’t rule out a step up to three miles for him at some stage,” said Nicholls.