CHELTENHAM PREVIEW WITH PAUL NICHOLLS
Tuesday 28th February 2023
After more than 50 runners, Paul Nicholls ended a most uncharacteristic losing streak at the Cheltenham Festival this year with Stage Star’s grade one, novice chase success. Actually, it was, as newspapers have said in the past about the odd general election, the Rag Club Wot Won It.
The unusual barren spell for a 13-times and reigning Champion National Hunt trainer, with 46 festival winners to his name, began back in 2021. The previous year, Paul had been kind enough to grace the club’s Cheltenham Preview supper just the week before the festival. A few days later winners followed. Then in 2021, Paul drew a blank. Likewise last year. Then ahead of the 2023 gathering Paul once again came through the double doors off St James’s Square and Pall Mall, and passed the taxidermist emperor penguin at the head of the floor that is home to the Rag library. The moment he sat down for supper again at the table there and another evening of fine fare and racing chat providing the ultimate preface to the latest four fabulous days of jumps racing in the Cotswolds, he was as good as back in the winner’s enclosure. And so it came to pass.
Of course, all credit to everyone at the Nicholls’ Ditcheat stables in Somerset where credit is certainly due. Everyone lucky enough to join Paul for supper, hosted by Colin Cameroon will have been roaring home Stage Star. They might also have found their voice for Bravemansgame runner-up finish in the Gold Cup.
All Rag members might well reflect after this evening that there are few sports better served than horses racing by the willingness of principal protagonists to attend such events and spread the good word about the game. Paul Nicholls on the back of this deserved all the luck in the world he had at Cheltenham.
