BACK IN BUSINESS
WITH four Cheltenham Gold Cups in the bag, Paul Nicholls is not short of confidence about Clan Des Obeaux making it five.
After parading the dual King George VI Chase winner – part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson – at his stables in Ditcheat yesterday, Nicholls said: “He would be my best chance at the Cheltenham Festival.
“Clan (ridden by Harry Cobden) was one of eight horses we took to Wincanton this morning, and he did a proper workout with Frodon over two miles. I was thrilled with this lad.
He has had a great preparation.”
Victory for Clan Des Obeaux in the Magners-sponsored event – he was fifth behind Al
Boum Photo in last year’s race
– would add to his trainer’s impressive record in the race that include Denman, Kauto Star (twice) and See More Business.
The champion trainer is also flagging up the chances of Solo in JCB Triumph Hurdle.
“He has a mark of 157, which is not far off some of the horses in the Champion Hurdle,” said his trainer. “It would be interesting with an 8lb four-year-old allowance in the race, but he will run in the Triumph Hurdle. That’s his job and he should go very, very well.”
Nicholls was not shy about revealing that he has backed Dynamite Dollars in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at 33-1.
“He won’t mind if it keeps raining and is a real lively outsider in my book,” said his trainer. “He does not need to improve too much on his Newbury run (third to Altior) to be right in the mix and he is bound to improve on that run.”
The trainer also believes that Frodon is now in the right place to make it back-to-back victories in the Ryanair Chase.
“He had ulcers before Christmas,” explained his trainer. “But he showed that he’s now back to his best after winning at Kempton in January.” Thyme White gets a vote of confidence in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
“He has a rating of 133 and I think he can do something off that handicap mark,” added his trainer.
EPATANTE is coughing and is out to 9-2 for the Unibet Champion Hurdle on Tuesday week.
Trainer Nicky Henderson revealed: “Epatante has been coughing. Both my vets and I are more than hopeful this won’t interfere with her Champion Hurdle preparation.”
CHAMPION jockey Richard Johnson made a winning return to the saddle with a double at Musselburgh yesterday.
The jockey steered Made For You to victory for Olly Murphy before winning on Dubai Guest in the bumper for the same trainer.
Johnson (below) had been out of action after suffering a broken arm in a fall at Exeter on January 21.
He said: “I’d no trouble or pain from my arm all the way through the race but to honest I was blowing more than the horse at the end..
“When I was lying on the ground at Exeter knowing I’d probably broken my arm I thought the championship had gone.
“But the weather has been on my side and Brian Hughes hasn’t had as many opportunities as he might otherwise have had.
“People are saying the gap is ‘only 20 winners’ [before the start of racing] but you try riding that many, as it isn’t easy!”
Johnson is now 18 winners behind Hughes in the race for jockeys’ championship title which ends in late April.