Paul Nicholls is optimistic that the addition of cheekpieces to Stay Away Fay could be the key to securing a second Cheltenham Festival triumph for the seven-year-old in Wednesday’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
Stay Away Fay, an 18-1 outsider, surprised many by winning last season's Albert Bartlett, and has transitioned smoothly to jumping fences this season. Notably, he demonstrated resilience in a victory at Exeter before outpacing Giovinco at Sandown. Although the Cotswold Chase at Prestbury Park was a tough test, Nicholls remains undeterred and eagerly anticipates facing the highly-rated Irish contender, Fact To File.
Fact To File, second in last year's Champion Bumper, has impressed in novice chasing, showcasing significant improvement since his earlier outings. Despite being outpaced by American Mike initially, Fact To File's solid performance at Leopardstown over Christmas sets the stage for an intriguing showdown with Gaelic Warrior. Meanwhile, Sandor Clegane, a familiar rival of Stay Away Fay, aims to build on recent strong performances in the graded company across the Irish Sea, showing promise for a competitive showing at Cheltenham.
Gordon Elliott is looking forward to American Mike's participation in the upcoming contest, given the horse's recent success at Navan. Additionally, Henry de Bromhead remains hopeful for Monty’s Star, who has shown progression following a convincing victory at Punchestown. With the stage set for an exciting and competitive race, trainers and jockeys alike are preparing for a thrilling showdown at Cheltenham.