Stay Away Fay left his jubilant connections dreaming of more Grade One glory at the Cheltenham Festival later in the season after being described as ‘proper horse’ by triumphant trainer Paul Nicholls following his front running success in the Betfair Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown Park today.
Entering the campaign on the back of a fine season over smaller obstacles highlighted by his victory in the Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March the Shantou gelding made it two wins from as many starts over fences when grinding his rivals into submission in the Grade Two prize.
The small but select field of four runners was reduced mid race when The Changing Man, despite the best efforts of Brendan Powell, came to grief, however it failed to stop those in the stands at the Esher track being served a finish to savour.
After jumping the third last together it looked as though Stay Away Fay was a sitting duck out in front with Stephen Mulqueen appearing to have a double handful aboard Giovinco on the run down to the penultimate fence.
However, the scene soon changed after the final fence when both horses were asked for their maximum efforts with Stay Away Fay responding best to pressure before prevailing by a length and a half to give Nicholls and Cobden victory in the inaugural running of the three-mile contest.
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