Stage Star (15-2) ran out a fine winner of the Turners Novices' Chase on the third day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival to end champion trainer Paul Nicholls' long wait for another winner at the meeting.
The Ditcheat handler, who was having his 47th winner at the Cheltenham Festival, had suffered over the past few seasons as the Irish dominated especially Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott. But under Harry Skelton, Stage Star gave Nicholls a first success at the meeting since Politologue's victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2020. And the trainer was delighted. Stage Star made most the running before outsider Notlonginmay (40-1) threw down the challenge on the turn for home as the big two in the betting – Elliott's Mighty Potter (4-6 favourite) and Mullins' Appreciate It (3-1) – trying to make up the ground. But Stage Star carried on galloping up the hill and held off Notlongtilmay to go on to score by three-and-a-quarter-lengths. Mighty Potter stayed on to be a further three-quarters-of-a-length adrift in third, with Appreciate It fourth.
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Trainer Nicholls said: "It's been a tough week so far, but it's a tough place. We were a little bit unlucky yesterday with a couple, but that was brilliant. Different track, slightly better ground, it was always going to suit us. I said to Harry today 'be positive, bowl along in front and ride him like the best horse in the race'. He gave him a peach of a ride there.
"He travelled and jumped well and quickened up like he did the last day. I told Harry go out, go a nice gallop and be positive and dictate it from the front – he's so good at doing that. I think if we went back and rode that race yesterday (Ballymore, with Hermes Allen) again we might have done things differently, but we're not going to look back, we're going to look forward.
"This is a young horse who is improving and we're thrilled. I'm thrilled he's come back from last year's disaster and gone really forward. It gives me more hope for Bravemansgame in the Gold Cup tomorrow, who did exactly the same thing last spring. I think that is his trip and he'll be aimed for the Ryanair next year. He probably would get three miles, but he has plenty of boot and he jumps well."
Nicholls added: "That was good for Harry today. He needed a bit of a confidence booster before tomorrow because he was bit down last night. That's a massive plus. It's hard to win here here. We've only got 15 or 16 runners here all week and you've got to make every one count.
"We've had a great time here over the years. It's hard to get those horses back, but we're building up again and I think the next few years will be positive. It's not easy taking on the Irish battalions, but there are some very good trainers here and it was nice to see Dan (Skelton) have a winner yesterday, too. We haven't got the numbers some of the Irish trainers have and we're up against it all the time, but we can only do our best."
Trainer Laura Morgan was delighted with runner-up Notlongtilmay. She said: "I thought he was going to win. He's run a screamer, he's still only a novice, obviously, but he's just a baby and he was a bit bold at a few which frightened me. I'm absolutely delighted with him. This is my dream to be around trainers like Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins, it's just incredible."
On Mighty Potter's defeat, trainer Elliott said: "He didn't have a nice experience here last year, but he's run better than then at least. It's always disappointing when you don't win, but that is the game we are in. He never got into a decent rhythm like he did the last day. At Leopardstown he would jump and Davy (Russell) would take him back, but today he was stretching for them. We'll get him home and see where we are."
His rider Davy Russell added: "It's very disappointing but I can't put my finger on anything, he didn't miss a beat the whole way. The winner is a good horse and the second isn't bad with a string of ones next to his name. I've no real excuses. I was worried about him hanging as he was still running, I didn't lose much ground. I've won plenty of races here by drifting right. He just might not have been good enough."
Good Time Jonny (9-1) came from last to first to land a superb victory in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.
Tony Martin's eight-year-old, under a fine ride from conditional jockey Liam McKenna, came through late on to score by three-and-a-quarter lengths from the Gordon Elliott-trained Salvador Ziggy (10-1). Mill Green (22-1) was a neck back in third with Green Book (40-1) a further head adrift in fourth, with Walking On Air (9-1) fifth. Trained to perfection by Martin, he qualified for the big race by finishing third to Maxxum at Leopardstown over Christmas, and he was a well-backed 9-1. McKenna bravely drove him up the inner, and Good Time Jonny powered through to triumph. Irish handler Martin has proved synonymous with handicap success in the past and was landing a seventh Cheltenham Festival victory.
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Martin hailed his rider, saying: "He was last at the top of the hill but had the patience to wait, and it worked out well. The horse had been coming on real well since Leopardstown and this is great for Liam. When they turned in and started to pick up I knew he would win. Liam never chased him. This man has shown when he gets the rub of the green he's as good as anyone. He hasn't always enjoyed the breaks you hope for, but when I want to claim I wouldn't look past him."
McKenna added: "It's great for the boys that own him, there'll be plenty of celebrations from them. They're great men. It's great to get these opportunities on a big day like this. I got there late enough but that wasn't my plan, Tony said to get there late and about 10 strides from the line I knew I had it. Just to hear that crowd is different."
