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.
READ MORE: Full 73 current entries for the 2023 Randox Grand National at Aintree
