Is he back? Big week for Paul Nicholls as Hermes Allen attempts to resurrect Cheltenham fortunes

Is Paul Nicholls back? It is not only the staff and owners who hope this year will mark a resurgence for Manor Farm Stables at Cheltenham.

The 13-time champion trainer has been able to do nothing to stem the tide of Irish domination in the past three seasons, winning just one race in 2020 and none at all in the two years since.

And the man who had 35 runners in 2009 and five winners – with Celestial Halo's neck defeat the only thing preventing a clean sweep of Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers' Hurdle and Gold Cup for the yard – had only nine horses race for him last year, managing one third place between them.