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Paul Nicholls is confident he can get Stage Star back to his best after a lacklustre display at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
The Owners Group-owned gelding landed the Turners Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last season and also enjoyed success at the Prestbury Park venue this year when landing the valuable Paddy Power Handicap Chase at the November Meeting.
Nicholls' eight-old-was sent off the 11/10 favourite to give weight away to five rivals in the Paddy Power New Year's Day Handicap Chase back at Cheltenham on Monday, but he never looked like landing a blow following a few early jumping errors and was ultimately pulled-up buy regular rider Harry Cobden.
However, champion trainer Paul Nicholls is confident he can have the son of Fame And Glory back to his best in the Ryanair Chase at the Festival in March.
Speaking on his Betfair blog, Nicholls said: "He was a tad sore when he finished and when he trotted up the morning after, he wasn't quite 100 per cent, so I'm guessing he's pulled some muscles somewhere,"
"He's had a few little issues in the past. He made a couple of mistakes going up the hill and I wasn't sure he was going that well before then in that ground.
"The vet is in; he'll give him a full MOT and we've plenty of time to get him sorted before the Ryanair. That's why I was so keen to get a run into him now rather than in a month, as there weren't many options really.
"We've got time to get him back to himself. He had a couple of runs last year when it didn't go quite right.
"New Year's Day morning I was looking for any excuse not to run him and that is unlike me because I'm always positive and always want to run, but when he trotted up and everything, it was all positive, he gave us no reason not to run.
"It wasn't to be yesterday, but I've been there a million times before with horses like this, we can just put a line through that run. We've loads of time before the Ryanair on spring ground and we'll get him back for that."
The Ditcheat handler also provided an update on exciting prospect Captain Teague, who provided Nicholls with a fourth-straight Challow Hurdle at Newbury over Christmas.
He said: "I was pleased with him, he's improving physically and mentally all the time and he jumped a lot better than he did at Cheltenham – he just idles a little once he's in front,"
"I haven't spoken to Johnny (de la Hey, owner) about what we're going to do in the spring with him, but ultimately we're building his career to be a novice chaser this time next year."
