Paul Nicholls believes the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase is the 'perfect race' for Grade 1-winning hurdler Stay Away Fay to get some vital match practice over the Cheltenham fences ahead of his bid at the Festival in March.
The 2023 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle winner created a taking impression on his chase debut at Exeter before making it two from two over the larger obstacles with a strong staying performance in the Grade 2 Betfair Esher Novices' Chase at Sandown last month.
There's no doubt this will provide a completely different test for the Paul Nicholls-trained exciting novice chaser, but it's a test the Ditcheat-handler expects him to prove equal to en-route to the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase back at Prestbury Park come March.
Nicholls, who has won the extended three-mile one-furlong prize on a record five previous occasions, said: "He has got to go somewhere before the Cheltenham Festival, and this gives him more time than if he goes to the Reynoldstown (Novices' Chase) at Ascot and has a hard race. He has worked well and schooled well since Sandown, and we are looking forward to it.
"This race has always been on my mind for him. For a horse like him, it is the perfect race. He might have to take on some better ones, but apart from Royale Pagaille, there are no real Gold Cup horses in there.
"This would do him good and it is all good experience and that is what you need. He has not been over fences around Cheltenham and that is why we are quite keen to do it.
"He is fit, stays well and he is in good order, and we think he will run a nice race. I've given him an entry in the National Hunt Chase and Gold Cup, but I would say he would be one for the Brown Advisory at the Festival after this."
It looks set to be a busy afternoon at the home of jumps racing for the champion trainer, with both Il Ridoto and Hitman bidding to land the valuable Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase.
The former went down narrowly to Fugitif in a thrilling renewal of the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month, but Nicholls firmly believes he has what it takes to go one better this time around and retain his crown having landed the prize twelve months ago.
He said: "Il Ridoto ran very well in the December Gold Cup when he just got chinned on the line by Fugitif. He won the race last year and he is in good shape. He likes the new course, and we are hopeful of a nice run.
Of the latter, Hitman, he added: "I had thought about running Hitman in the Denman Chase at Newbury, but we have decided to come here and claim five pounds off his back with Freddie Gingell."
