Paul Nicholls: Stay Away Fay our best chance on busy Saturday at Cheltenham and Doncaster

Paul Nicholls
26 January 2023
3:00 min read

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It's a busy weekend for our Betfair ambassador, who has eight runners at Cheltenham, with a pair sent to Doncaster on Saturday. Read his exclusive thoughts below.

Read Paul's exclusive thoughts on his Saturday runners
Eight horses, including Frodon, head to Cheltenham
Find out what he has to say about Stay Away Fay

Cheltenham

First runner should be right in the mix

11:40 - Dixon Cove

She has been progressive this season, winning twice, and put up her best performance last time when only beaten a neck in the Grade 2 Finale Hurdle at Chepstow by Joseph O'Brien's Comfort Zone who started a hot favourite.

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Dixon Cove is 5lbs better off with him now and should be right in the mix at a stiff track like Cheltenham with an uphill finish which should play to her strengths.

Ignore last run

12:10 - Stage Star

A smart horse and a Challow winner last season, he was due was to run at Haydock last Saturday until that was frozen off.

Before that he bounced back in style at the start of the month at Plumpton where his jumping was brilliant.

I think you can put a line through his previous defeat at Newbury where he wasn't quite right and hung badly left in the closing stages.

Head gear could make a difference

13:50 - Il Ridoto

He is wearing cheek pieces for the first time to sharpen him up because after travelling really well he half threw away his race at Cheltenham in December by running in a bit behind another horse going to the last fence where he wasn't fluent.

That mistake put him on the back foot but if he'd winged the last he would have gone close so I'm hoping the head gear helps him concentrate better.

Handicap drop could be key

13:50 - Simply The Betts

He is a regular at Cheltenham but hasn't found life easy racing off a tough handicap rating since winning as a novice at the Festival three years ago.

But he has been dropped 7lbs in two runs this season and is now 4lbs lower than his winning mark of 149 in 2020. We are hoping cheek pieces will help his cause and one of these days he is going to pop up at a nice price.

14:25 - Frodon

I fancied him strongly in the Portman Cup at Taunton a week ago but that was called off and while this is undoubtedly a stronger race he did win it in 2019. Frodon is enjoying another fine season and hit the headlines when landing the fiercely competitive Badger Ales Chase under top weight at Wincanton.

He ran another cracking race when third in the King George V1 Chase on Boxing Day and I've got a feeling he will again run well as he is nice and fresh at the moment.

15:00 - Gelino Bello

This is a bit of a sharpener back over hurdles after his unlucky fall at Kempton last time and if he runs very well we might look at the Stayers' Hurdle for him at the Cheltenham Festival rather than go back chasing.

We did that successfully with Big Buck's who quickly became an outstanding champion at three miles. I'm not saying he's as good at Big Buck's but he is a talented horse and would have gone close at Kempton if he hadn't fallen.

15:35 - Henri The Second

We have always thought a lot of Henri The Second who won the Grade 2 Bayllmore Winter Novice Hurdle impressively in deep ground at Sandown last time.

He could have gone to Warwick a fortnight ago but as he had quite a hard race in tough conditions at Sandown I gave him a bit more time and kept him for Cheltenham.

While he has a 5lbs penalty to carry in a competitive race I do think he has strong claims.

16:10 - Hacker Des Places

Every time I've entered him over the last six weeks the race has been abandoned. He needs a run here to put him spot on for a spring campaign that could include the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury or the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso.

I am also keen to give Hacker Des Places experience of Cheltenham because if he runs well then he could come back for the Martin Pipe Conditional Handicap Hurdle at the Festival.

Doncaster

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14:40 - Stay Away Fay

He's an interesting prospect who won his only Point-to-Point in Ireland and did well over the summer before winning in pleasing fashion at Newbury on his debut for us over hurdles two months ago.

He is a lot sharper now, stays well, wants good ground and I've had this race in mind for him since Newbury.