Trainer Paul Nicholls confident Clan Des Obeaux will get Betfair Chase trip

Paul Nicholls is confident Clan Des Obeaux will have no problem getting the trip when he attempts to give the handler a seventh Betfair Chase success at Haydock.
King of Kempton: Sam Twiston-Davies riding Clan Des Obeaux clear to win The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse last Boxing Day. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)King of Kempton: Sam Twiston-Davies riding Clan Des Obeaux clear to win The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse last Boxing Day. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)
King of Kempton: Sam Twiston-Davies riding Clan Des Obeaux clear to win The Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse last Boxing Day. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

The eight-year-old will make his seasonal return in the Grade One prize, in which he finished fourth two years ago, ahead of attempting to defend his Ladbrokes King George VI Chase crown at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Although Clan Des Obeaux is yet to win beyond three miles, the 11-time champion trainer expects him to have enough stamina to see out the extra furlong and a half on Merseyside.

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Nicholls said: “He travels well and you could put him anywhere. You would want to reserve a little bit of stamina as it is three miles, one and a half furlongs.

At home: Trainer Paul Nicholls poses for a photograph with Clan Des Obeaux in the yard at Ditcheat. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA WireAt home: Trainer Paul Nicholls poses for a photograph with Clan Des Obeaux in the yard at Ditcheat. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
At home: Trainer Paul Nicholls poses for a photograph with Clan Des Obeaux in the yard at Ditcheat. Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

“He has not won over that trip before, but I don’t think it is a problem - you just ride him accordingly and slot him in anywhere. “Sam (Twiston-Davies) and Harry (Cobden) both said if the King George was three miles, one and a half last year, he would have still won, so I don’t think the trip is an issue.”

With stable jockey Cobden set to go to Ascot at the weekend, Clan Des Obeaux will be reunited with Twiston-Davies for the first time since the pair won last year’s King George.

Nicholls added: “Sam Twiston-Davies came in to ride him this morning as he will ride him on Saturday, as Harry is going to Ascot and if Cyrname gets to Kempton, Harry will ride him.

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“He jumped very well this morning. He was very fresh and I was very happy with him.

“Sam won the King George on him last year and it’s easier for him to ride him Saturday, so it works out well like that.”

Nicholls had considered giving Clan Des Obeaux an alternative entry in the Grade Two Chanelle Pharma 1965 Chase at Ascot on Saturday, but with the ground at Haydock not set to be testing, all roads will lead there.

Nicholls continued: “If they had forecast torrents of rain at the end of the week and you ended up with Haydock being very heavy, I was thinking of putting him in at Ascot to cover my options.

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“If the going at Haydock is as it is now, he will definitely run there. The forecast looks encouraging and there is no cold weather, so it’s all systems go.”

Assessing the potential opposition, Nicholls believes last year’s winner, and Gold Cup third, Lostintranslation represents the biggest danger to stopping Clan Des Obeaux from adding a third Grade One victory to his CV.

He added: “Lostintranslation looks to be the main one. The Tizzards are running into some form now. Though he was disappointing in the King George, he won this race very nicely last year and he would probably be the one to beat.

“Bristol De Mai has been a fantastic horse over the years and we’ve had some real old battles, but he isn’t getting any younger, although he always runs very well at that track. If he came back to his very best, he is always a danger.

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“We’ve set out to try to win this race and not go there as a prep to Kempton. He has got a big chance at the weekend.”

Bellshill and Keeper Hill complete the five Betfair entries but Santini swerves the race, with trainer Nicky Henderson intending to use a spin at Newbury today as a stepping stone towards at tilet at the William Hill Many Clouds Chase at Aintree on December 5.

Last season’s Gold Cup runner-up will join a stellar cast to take part in the Ladbrokes Winter Carnival gallops morning at the Berkshire venue – with Henderson also sending dual Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Altior and Champion Hurdle victor Epatante.

Henderson said: “The plan is to gallop Santini at Newbury. I said a few weeks ago he probably wouldn’t be ready for Haydock.

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“To be honest, I never thought Haydock was likely to be his track either, and we were not quite going to get there in time.

“Looking at it, the Many Clouds up at Aintree is the obvious race to run him in.”

Today’s National Hunt meeting at Lingfield has been called off because of a waterlogged track.

Following heavy rain over the weekend, course officials called a 2pm inspection for Monday.

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While they found an improved scenario, it was not enough to save the meeting - which is the second jumps fixture in succession at the track to have been beaten by the rain.

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