Stage Star a significant non-runner with Ballymore next for Grade 1 winner

Stage Star is a significant non-runner at Exeter for Paul Nicholls, with the champion trainer indicating the Grade 1 winner will head straight to the Cheltenham Festival for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.

Nicholls, whose string had been having a quiet patch but returned to winning ways on Saturday when leading Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase contender Bravemansgame was successful at Newbury, had declared Stage Star for the Listed Virgin Bet Novices’ Hurdle (3.00), a race he won most recently in 2016 with Politologue.

However, with conditions softening at Exeter following 12mm of rain between 8pm on Saturday evening and 9.30am on Sunday morning, and more rainfall anticipated, Nicholls opted to make the six-year-old a non-runner.

A smart bumper horse, Stage Star is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles for the Owners Group syndicate including his comfortable six-and-a-half-length win in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury in December.

He is a top-priced 9-1 with Coral for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle in an ante-post market dominated by Irish-trained novices Sir Gerhard, Dysart Dynamo, Journey With Me and Minella Cocooner.

His absence from the Exeter field, alongside promising novice Moriko De Vassy, has reduced the contest to five runners.

Dan Skelton, who won last year's race with Wilde About Oscar, steps Ballymore entry Lac De Constance up in class after the six-year-old posted an easy success on his hurdling debut over course and distance in December.

"He won round the track last time and we're really looking forward to going back, we've always been aiming for this race," Skelton said. "It's a pretty deep race but it will tell us where we stand as a hurdler – we've always believed he's a good hurdler but he'll be a better chaser."

Peking Rose, who is entered in the Supreme and the Ballymore at Cheltenham, won the introductory hurdle on the Challow card for Fergal O'Brien, who said: "We love him. He was a good bumper horse and he's lovely to train. He's in good form and he won very well at Newbury."

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