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.
“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.”
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.
“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.
Light seeking to shine again at Sandown
Kitty’s Light is taking aim at his usual season finisher in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.
The gelding has been a star for trainer Christian Williams, winning big handicap events like the Eider Chase and the Scottish Grand National and going close in the Charlie Hall and the Coral Trophy.
He has particularly good record in the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of the season, missing out only due to interference when second in 2021 and coming home third in 2022.
Last year he was completed the set of podium finishes when winning by two and a half lengths under usual jockey Jack Tudor.
The two are well acquainted and teamed up for Kitty’s Light’s Grand National bid at Aintree earlier in the month, where he ran a valiant race to finish fifth behind four Grade-One winning Irish chasers.
Williams was incredibly proud of his stable star and is now hoping the gelding can shine again in the Sandown contest he has found to be lucrative in the past.
“It was wonderful, we trained him to win the race and we thought he could, but you couldn’t be disappointed with what he did,” Williams said of the National performance.
“We were thrilled, the horse tried his best and we were very, very proud of horse and jockey.
“He’s come out of it very well, if the race was run today even then he’d be running, he’s in good form.
“He loves it at Sandown with the big fences, his jumping has come on now but even as a five-year-old he nearly won the race.
“He was third the year after that, it really seems to suit him.
“I think he likes going right-handed, he hangs a little bit right at home and he seems to really enjoy it there.
“We’re taking our chance anyway, he seems well and we’ll hope for the best.”
Olivier Peslier announces imminent retirement
Olivier Peslier will retire from riding at La Teste on Thursday.
The 51-year-old has enjoyed an exemplary career in the saddle, being crowned French champion on four occasions and claiming a string of big-race successes across the world.
Peslier counts four victories in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on his CV, as well as Derby success aboard High-Rise in 1998 and a 2000 Guineas triumph with Cockney Rebel in 2007.
He enjoyed a long association with star miler Goldikova, riding the mare to win 17 of her 27 career starts which included a famous Breeders’ Cup Mile hat-trick in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Peslier also chalked up two Japan Cup wins and victories the Hong Kong Cup, Mile and Vase plus big-races successes in the likes of Germany, Italy, Ireland and Dubai during a truly international career.
He was retained rider for owners Alain and Gerard Wertheimer between 2003 and 2014 with the aforementioned Goldikova and 2012 Arc winner Solemia two of the headline acts of their lengthy relationship.
Peslier will sign off after two rides at La Teste in the south-west of France, bowing out with over 3,700 wins to his name.
“My health is fine, but you need the horses and need the practice and if you don’t have so many horses, it is the time to decide to stop because it is very tricky to ride only a few horses,” Peslier told the PA news agency.
“After a very long career I have had plenty of success. I have had more than 3,700 winners and over 500 Group race wins. I have won with both Arabians and thoroughbreds and 165 Group Ones, so it is amazing when I look at my career.
“I have won everywhere in the world and had great success and great moments. I’ve met so many good people and I’m very happy to stop my career and watch what has happened before.
“I won all the good races in England – the Epsom Derby, the King George and at Royal Ascot. In Japan, I won 12 Group Ones and won the Japan Cup and all the big races over there and also the Breeders’ Cup and all the Derbies in Europe.
“So now is the time and I’m in good form and everything is fine. It’s sad to take the decision but this morning I rode six horses and tomorrow I will ride some horses in training and for sure I will keep riding some horses because everybody loves horses and also I ride for my passion.”
Peslier is unsure what the future holds, intending to spend the summer months enjoying time with family and friends before finalising plans for the next stage of life, while he highlighted the talents of both Goldikova and Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Peintre Celebre as notable memories from his decorated career.
“I will take a little break and see some friends and see what happens over the next few months,” continued Peslier.
“After a holiday, September will be a new life, and I think I need a little bit of time to see what will happen in the future. I’m going to spend some time with my kids and enjoy life, then it will be a new life.
“Normally when I go to say Hong Kong and England it is for work, now I can go and visit people I know and take the time to enjoy it.
“Goldikova won 14 Group Ones and Peintre Celebre won the French Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and were both really, really good.”
Bellum Justum stakes Derby claim with Epsom victory
Bellum Justum halved in price for the Derby after Andrew Balding’s colt won the Betfred Blue Riband Trial at Epsom.
While he took four attempts to get off the mark as a juvenile, the form of his win over Kevin Ryan’s Inisherin now looks much stronger than it did at the time and he took another leap forward here.
Ridden by Oisin Murphy, he was content to take a lead off Ryan Moore on Aidan O’Brien’s Chief Little Rock and with those in behind struggling to get on terms, it soon developed into a battle.
Bellum Justum held a narrow advantage for much of the final furlong but while he was well on top of the Ballydoyle runner close home, Roger Varian’s Defiance began to stay on strongly.
Without looking like winning, he closed to within three-quarters of a length of the 9-1 winner, looking promising for the future on just his third outing.
Bellum Justum was cut to 25-1 from 50s for the Derby by both Coral and Paddy Power.
“He had a setback about a month ago and he missed 10 days, so he’s entitled to come on for that today,” Balding told Racing TV.
“His form looked pretty strong and he improved a lot with racing last year and he’s entitled to improve from two to three, so we were fairly sure he’d be there or thereabouts but we’re expecting him to come on for it.
“He’s in the Dante and if he was going to run again that would be the likely target, we’ll just see how the Guineas goes and the other trials and we might end up coming back here.
“He’s out of an Oasis Dream mare but he’s closely related to Fox Tal who stayed a mile and a half.
“He’s up there with our best three-year-olds but unfortunately the one we were really excited about, Anzac Day, has had a setback.”
Crystal Delight (5-2) made a winning debut for Harry Eustace when leading home stablemate Ziggy in the Lilley Plummer Risks City & Suburban Handicap.
Previously trained by the now-retired William Jarvis, he was sent straight to the front by Jim Crowley and controlled matters from the outset.
He kicked clear over two furlongs out and came home five and a half lengths ahead of Ziggy, who stayed on without ever looking a danger.
“William came as he’s good friends with dad (James Eustace) and we ended up with a couple off him, this one and Duke Of Verona and it’s going well so far,” said Eustace.
“I thought he’d run well as he’s been training well at home. It was a small field and he likes making the running, so I thought we’d be able to set our own fractions and that’s what Jim did, it worked out well.
“I had a mile-and-a-half handicap at York in mind so we’ll see how we go.”
Eustace had to settle for third with Duke Of Verona in the Weatherbys Global Stallions App Great Metropolitan Handicap as Champagne Piaff (5-2 favourite) ran out an easy winner for Gary and Ryan Moore.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
