As for the weekend just gone, it was a brilliant one for Team Ditcheat and there was no question which horse was the star of the show.
"It was a great performance for Stage Star to overcome his mistake in the last and win the Paddy Power Gold Cup by four lengths. Nine times out of ten it is game over after a mistake like that so to see him pick himself up and gallop up the hill was impressive.
"He was fit and fresh and well which reflects well on the team. The win puts him right in the mix for the Ryanair Chase [at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2024]."
Paul was delighted with his other runner in the race, Il Ridoto, who finished third: "He will improve for that run and go for the December Gold Cup."
There were positives and negatives to take from Sunday's Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Paul said: "Sonigino ran well in the Greatwood Hurdle and, if he doesn't go chasing, may be one fo the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton.
"Afadil threw his toys out of the pram a bit. I don't think he likes the ground as soft as it was on Sunday. You will see the best of him on better ground. We will put cheekpieces on him next time. You did not see the best of him at Cheltenham."
Both of Paul's midweek horses to watch won last week so make a note of two he's highlighting on Thursday:
"At Wincanton on Thursday I run two nice horses. Beau Balko is in the Novices' Chase. He needed a run at Ffos Las the other day. He will go well here. The other is Il Pino, a lovely horse who won his only four-year-old point to point. He goes in the Novices' Hurdle. I am looking forward to running both horses at Wincanton."
Watch Ditcheat Decs on Friday for Paul Nicholls' pre-weekend update and get his exclusive views on all of his runners in his Betfair column.
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Prices quoted in copy are correct at time of publication but liable to change.
