L’Homme Presse puts his head down to deny Stage Star

L’Homme Presse narrowly denied the gallant Stage Star in a thrilling climax to the Betfair Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.

Having finished fourth in the Gold Cup last March, and emerged best of the home team when third on his reappearance in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, the Venetia Williams-trained L’Homme Presse was sent off at 4-5 to cement his status as Britain’s leading hope for this year’s blue riband.

But in Stage Star, who has largely struggled since winning the 2023 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham for Paul Nicholls, he came up against a worthy adversary.

Stepped up to beyond three miles for the first time, Stage Star was clearly enjoying himself out in front from an early stage under Harry Cobden, with L’Homme Presse and Irish raider Gentlemansgame the only two able to go with him.

L’Homme Presse was upsides Stage Star from the home turn, but the latter refused to bend in front and it was only in the dying strides the market leader managed to get on top in the hands of Charlie Deutsch, with three-quarters of a length the winning margin.

Coral cut L’Homme Presse’s Cheltenham Gold Cup odds to 16-1 from 25-1, while Paddy Power offer 20-1 from 25-1. The latter firm also trimmed his Ryanair Chase odds to 16-1 from 40-1.

Williams said: “He keeps us on the edge of our seats, doesn’t he? Charlie said he was so laid-back the whole way round in the race and turning for home said ‘come on now, we’ve got a race to win’.

“I always thought we’d have Stage Star covered, but credit to Stage Star he’s a great horse and made him pull it all out.

“He’s trotted back to the winner’s enclosure here and how many horses do you see run three miles at Cheltenham then trot back. It’s all been relatively straightforward this year and he came back from Kempton in great form so we’ve just been able to make a standard progression to here.

“I’m pleased to get this race in the bag. We’ll see about March and it’s one step at a time, but I’m pleased with that. I think the ground could prove quite relevant in March because he wasn’t getting tired last year and the others only got on top on the way to the line, I don’t think staying the trip will be a problem for him.

“Everyone has built up the Irish as unbeatable and then the entry came from Britain and it was depleted. I think a lot of that is because people get frightened, but at the end of the day it’s who wins the race on the day and you don’t even know if all the main protagonists will get there in one piece. I’m quite surprised we’re one of the leading British contenders, but we’ll see in March.

“He means the world, beyond that I can’t say any more. Charlie says it’s like getting into his favourite car, but when I get in my favourite car I get a speeding ticket. Let’s be very grateful for what we’ve seen today.”

Of Stage Star, Nicholls said: “The step up in trip suited him as he was able to travel.

“In those handicaps, when you’re carrying 12st and have everyone behind you, you’re out of your comfort zone, so that was brilliant to do that today and he’s got every bit of the trip – he galloped all the way to the line. It’s a shame it wasn’t level weights.

“I didn’t put him in the Gold Cup. While he might run a nice race in the Gold Cup, he isn’t going to win a Gold Cup so we’re going to keep him fresh I suppose for the (Aintree) Bowl.

“There’s nothing else for him really as he has to go left-handed, a lot of horses will have hard races at Cheltenham and there’s 19 days between the two.

“That was a really good run today and we’re thrilled.”