CLAN’S MAN

Nicholls lands 10th Kempton cracker

PAUL NICHOLLS captured the King George for a record 10th time as Clan Des Obeaux and Harry Cobden spiked the old guns at Kempton.

Cobden, 20, was ice cool on the six-year-old – part-owned by Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson – pouncing on the run to the line to beat 2016 hero Thistlecrack by a length and a half.

Clan Des Obeaux had finished behind three of yesterday’s opponents when fourth to Bristol De Mai – a faller with a circuit to race, bringing down northern raider Waiting Patiently – in Haydock’s Betfair Chase, but Nicholls (below) said: “It was a very good run for a horse at that stage of his career.

“Like a footballer coming from the Championship to the Premiership that day – a bit lost, but the basis of a good future.

“Ten King Georges is amazing,” added the 10-time champion trainer, whose dual Cheltenham

Gold Cup great

Kauto Star won the Boxing Day highlight no fewer than five times.

Cobden, taking his first King George mount, added: “When I was at school, I would come home to watch Kauto Star and dream of moments like this.”

Title-holder and 3-1 favourite Might Bite burst a blood vessel in returning last of the seven finishers, to compound a frustrating day for Nicky Henderson. The trainer landed the Christmas Hurdle with

but the mare’s shorthead margin came at the expense of his Champion Hurdler Buveur DA’ ir. Henderson also saddled the market leader, Santini for the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase but victory went to the Warren Greatrex-trained mare