Tag Archive for: Stay Away Fay

Stay Away Fay powers to Albert Bartlett victory

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Paul Nicholls earned his second Grade One victory of the week at the Cheltenham Festival when Stay Away Fay was given a masterful ride by Harry Cobden to take the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

The 18-1 chance travelled well throughout and was always up with the pace in the three-mile test, which provided its usual searching test of stamina.

It was not without incident, either, as favourite Corbetts Cross ran out at the final flight, sending jockey Mark Walsh crashing to the turf.

Though challenging at the time, the winner seemed to have his measure having led at the second-last where plenty were still in with a chance.

Cobden put the six-year-old’s stamina to good use and gradually wore down his rivals to give the champion trainer his first success in the race.

Noel Meade’s Affordale Fury (150-1) relished the step up in trip and got within a length of the winner, just holding second from the Paul Nolan-trained Sandor Clegane.

Nicholls said: “I thought he’d run well as he should have won the last day and he’s taken a step forward since then and he looked fantastic.

“We were very positive on him today, he jumped really well and it’s only the third run of his life, there’s loads of improvement to come.

“We’ll probably go to Aintree with him if he’s all right, otherwise it will be chasing next year.

“He’s been quite backward, that’s the best he’s jumped today, he’s just a young, improving horse.”

He added: “At home he does all his work with Hermes Allen as they are both a bit one-paced and he has taken a big step forward.

“He probably should have won at Doncaster, he’s improved since and it’s just fantastic.

“I think Hermes Allen will probably have a wind op but he’ll go chasing too, they are two really nice horses to go chasing with.”

A jubilant Harry Cobden
A jubilant Harry Cobden (Tim Goode/PA)

Cobden added: “I thought they’d have gone faster but we only went an even gallop. He travelled very well, jumped great and when we turned in, I thought he had a nice bit left because I knew he’d stay right to the line, he’s obviously very good.

“I could feel them all stacking up behind me and from a jockey’s point of view, it is a long way to be in front turning in before the last, especially on an inexperienced horse. He was pulling up a little in front so he did well to keep going.

“I really fancied him, I thought he had a massive chance because I’ve won it before on Kilbricken Storm and I knew he was better than him.

“First time out he was green, Lorcan (Williams) was a bit unlucky on him at Doncaster but he has been trained for one day.”

Noel Meade trains the runner up
Noel Meade trains the runner up (Donall Farmer/PA)

Meade said of the runner-up: “He was only 150-1 because he virtually pulled up the last day and there were reasons for that.

“He got a fall when they went too quick in the Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan in November – they went a mad gallop and he ended up on the floor.

“He probably would have won that day had he stood up and then we ran him back within four weeks in the Grade One at Naas and it was too soon – he just bombed out.

“We freshened him up and he is a very, very good horse. I think he’ll be a right good chaser as he’s a good jumper and a good stayer and he got the most brilliant ride today from a young fella (Sam Ewing).”

Nolan was slightly left wondering what might have been with Sandor Clegane.

He said: “It was a big run. We knew he was better than his run in Leopardstown and he had to go to the line better than he did that day.

“He probably didn’t get the run of the race today. He got hampered at the very first and then he was shuffled back to last and pushed out wide. I’d like to look at the race again, but I think maybe he might have been the unlucky one.

“You’re always happy when you get a cheer at some stage. He ran well and he stays well and he remains an exciting prospect.

“I just thought the way he closed to the line after the distance he had to make up and being wide, we were unlucky, but it is what it is.”

Hermes Allen backed for Ballymore glory

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Paul Nicholls is confident he has picked the right Cheltenham Festival contest for his hugely-impressive Challow Hurdle winner Hermes Allen.

The six-year-old, who was an expensive £350,000 purchase following victory between the flags at Kirkistown, holds entries for both the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett over further at Prestbury Park.

But it is the shorter of the two Grade One contests that has always been identified as the preferred option and the son of Poliglote is the general 9-4 favourite for the two-mile-five-furlong event.

Nicholls has seen Gold Cup contender Bravemansgame and the admirable Stage Star both turned over in the day two opener on the back of success at Newbury in the past two years, while Denman is another famous Ditcheat name to suffer defeat in the contest.

However, the champion trainer is bullish his unbeaten charge heads to the Festival as one of his best chances of the week.

He said: “He surprised me first time out when he won at Stratford. He then went to Cheltenham and won very nicely and then went to Newbury and won very nicely on heavy ground.

“I didn’t think he’d want that ground, but he was the only one with the ability to go through it and plenty of those that finished behind him have won since – it’s turned out to be a very good race.

“He’s obviously got huge ability and I’m excited about him going to Cheltenham of course, but I’m as excited about the future with him as he’ll be a lovely horse to go chasing.

“He’s working nicely and is in good shape. He’s in the Albert Bartlett, but I’ve always thought the Ballymore over two-and-a-half (miles) would suit.

“It’s a very good race, the Irish have got some very good horses in there but he’s got a great chance.

“He jumps and can be ridden forward and, on paper, he’s our best chance of the week.”

Nicholls also hopes Tahmuras’ staying prowess means he will be a live candidate in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

The race has an open feel following the defeat of Facile Vega at the Dublin Racing Festival and the champion trainer believes the Tolworth Hurdle winner – who is a best-priced 10-1 for success – gives him similar vibes to the previous Ditcheat winners of the Festival opener, Noland and Al Ferof.

“He looks fantastic and is three from three this year,” continued Nicholls.

Tahmuras with trainer Paul Nicholls during a visit to Manor Farm Stables, Somerset
Tahmuras with trainer Paul Nicholls during a visit to Manor Farm Stables, Somerset (Adam Davy/PA)

“He’s surprised us a little bit to be honest. He won a bumper at Wincanton and we thought he was a nice horse who would win plenty of races, but I never dreamt he’d be going for a Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

“He didn’t really enjoy the ground that much in the Tolworth, but he had enough ability to gallop round and win nicely.

“The ground will be much better for him at Cheltenham, which will suit. I’ve won the Supreme with Al Ferof and Noland who weren’t going to go on and be Champion Hurdlers, they were staying chasers and he is very much the same as them.

“Those horses that stay can actually run very well in the Supreme and he has a lot of ability.

“He’s right in the mix in a very open race.”

One Ditcheat inmate that could be swimming slightly under the radar is Stay Away Fay, who heads to the Albert Bartlett on the final day of the meeting.

Stay Away Fay with a stable hand during a visit to Manor Farm Stables
Stay Away Fay with a stable hand during a visit to Manor Farm Stables (Adam Davy/PA)

In his Lingstown point-to-point, he drew six lengths clear of Henry de Bromhead’s Monty’s Star and the pair may lock horns again at Prestbury Park. However, whereas Monty’s Star is single-figure odds for the gruelling three-mile Grade One, Stay Away Fay’s price ranges from 16-1 to 25-1.

He has looked worthy of his £305,000 price-tag since transferring to Ditcheat, claiming a Newbury maiden in good style before just falling short in the Grade Two River Don at Doncaster last time.

“He’s a nice horse and is not that far behind Hermes Allen, he’s just had one run less,” added Nicholls.

“Lorcan (Williams) will say it probably wasn’t his best ever ride the last day at Doncaster. He got into trouble from the start and in the straight and still stayed on and finished second.

“He runs in the Albert Bartlett and I think there’s a lot to come from this horse. He stays and gallops. He lacks a bit of experience, but I think he’s one of the best big-priced outsiders we’ve got.”