Stage Star triumph ends an unlikely Cheltenham hoodoo for Paul Nicholls
One of racing’s best trainers had endured a scarcely credible barren spell until Harry Cobden’s fine frontrunning rideHow the mighty had fallen. A 13-times British champion trainer who had saddled the first home in 46 Festival races including four Gold Cups, six Champion Chases and one Champion Hurdle before Thursday’s card got under way, Paul Nicholls might have been forgiven for wondering if he would ever again welcome one of his charges back into the winners enclosure during the annual March festivities at Cheltenham.Given all his previous successes, masterminded in partnership with the help of household names such as Kauto Star, Denman, Frodon, Big Buck’s and Flagship Uberalles, among others, by his own remarkable standards one of the best trainers...