'Electric' Bravemansgame leads Paul Nicholls' smallest festival team since 2005

Paul Nicholls is poised to field his smallest team at the Cheltenham Festival since jump racing's biggest meeting was extended to four days, but Britain's champion trainer remains excited about blooding talented youngsters Bravemansgame and Stage Star against the best of the Irish.

The Ditcheat maestro, who has sent out 46 festival winners, expects to have between 12 and 14 runners at jump racing's biggest meeting. His previous lowest number of runners since the expansion in 2005 was 18 two years ago. In the glory days of Kauto Star and Denman he would regularly send more than 30 to Cheltenham.

Nicholls' reduced numbers – following last season's Irish domination – is not something he was worried about as he spoke to the press at his iconic Manor Farm Stables on Thursday. He discussed a "realistic" approach to race planning, which will see the yard regularly busy at the key fixtures at Ayr, Aintree and Sandown up to the end of the season.

While numbers are down there is no doubting the quality, led by the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase-bound Bravemansgame. Ballymore Novices' Hurdle hope Stage Star and Hunters' Chase contender Bob And Co are also considered to have leading chances.

"I assume we'll end up with a dozen, maybe 14 runners," Nicholls said.

"I've learned not to waste shots and save some for other meetings. We've got some nice horses but we haven't got the numbers, and never will, that Willie [Mullins] and Gordon [Elliott] have got. We've got nice chances and in Bravemansgame and Stage Star we're really excited to have horses like those. Hopefully we'll have a few more in the future."

Asked if his smaller team caused any concern, he said: "No, not at all. You can't do anything about it. When you're younger you want to run everything but you look back and think why did I do that? You have to be realistic in a lot of ways."

Bravemansgame is undoubtedly the star name and Nicholls reports his schooling to be "electric" as he edges closer to a rematch with Ahoy Senor and a possibly scintillating showdown with Galopin Des Champs – if Willie Mullins opts to run his top novice in that contest – on March 16.

John Dance and Bryan Drew's seven-year-old scored over three miles when a flawless winner of the Kauto Star at Kempton on Boxing Day and Nicholls is happy following his prep-race win at Newbury last month.

"He jumps well, has plenty of speed, relaxes; he's a super horse," the trainer said. "We've just ticked him over, he doesn't need to do a lot. He works nicely at home, is lovely and straightforward and for a big horse in our school he's electric. He's a pleasure to have around, he's got that class.

Bravemansgame: imperious in the Kauto Star Novices' ChaseCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

"I'd like to think next season he can be a serious contender for the King George and the Gold Cup. He'll have a lovely chance in this and nobody knows what'll run until the declarations. He'll go for the three-mile race unless the ground was attritional."

Bravemansgame will be joined in the race by Threeunderthrufive and Nicholls added: "It's really at the request of the owners [McNeill Family]. They're keen for Adrian [Heskin] to stay on him. He's tough, genuine and a little bit under the radar. It'd be no surprise if he ran a really good race."

Stage Star is a general 6-1 chance for the Ballymore, having followed a similar path to the race as last season's third Bravemansgame. Bob And Co, meanwhile, is poised to give owner-rider David Maxwell a huge chance of a festival breakthrough.

Of Stage Star, Nicholls said: "He's in good shape. He had a piece of work last week and went very nicely with Monmiral. He's ready to go but he needs to step up again on the form he's shown. He can't do any more than keep winning and he was impressive in the Challow. He'd probably be one of our best chances of the week.

"We needed to give Bob And Co one run before Cheltenham and he ran well. I came back to Clifford [Baker, head lad] and said that would put him just right. We've trained him just for the Hunters' Chase. We're very hopeful and it'd be great for David [Maxwell] if he could win it."

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