Clan gathering momentum for a shot at Gold
CLAN Des Obeaux can lay all stamina doubts to rest by staying every yard of the extended threeand-a-quarter miles to claim the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup at Cheltenham today.
He may have been only fifth in chasing’s blue riband prize last year behind Al Boum Photo, but it was only from the final fence that he was run out of at least a place.
There is every reason to believe he is a stronger horse this time round – and at the age of eight, he may be reaching his peak.
That seems to be the case, judged on his two runs so far this season.
Clan Des Obeaux delighted trainer Paul Nicholls when finishing second to Road To Respect in Down Royal’s Champion Chase, before winning the King George VI Chase for the second successive year at Kempton on Boxing Day.
His display to beat his esteemed stablemate Cyrname by 21 lengths was even better than the previous year, when he had Thistlecrack back in second place.
Nicholls’ decision not to run him again before Cheltenham can pay off.
Al Boum Photo looks the main danger as he seeks to repeat last year’s victory, while Lostintranslation would be a threat if he could repeat the form he showed when winning the Betfair Chase at Haydock.
Greaneteen can take his winning run to four in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase – and give the Nicholls stable a double.
This is by far the toughest test the lightly-raced six-year-old has experienced, but his vastly-experienced trainer would not put him through it if he did not think he was up to it.
Dan Skelton has kept Allmankind fresh for the JCB Triumph Hurdle after a brilliant first half to the season.
The Alcester trainer did think of running him on Festival Trials Day in January, but is happy he scrapped that plan.
The front-runner made a convincing case when winning the Grade One Finale Hurdle at Chepstow at Christmas, to take his unbeaten record over jumps to three.
While Allmankind blazes the trail, he has been saving plenty for the end of the race. That looks his main weapon.
Thyme Hill can benefit from the step up to three miles for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
Philip Hobbs’ exciting six-yearold was third in the Champion Bumper at last year’s Festival and has won all his three starts over the smaller obstacles this term.
He was doing his best work at the finish when taking the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle over an extended two-and-a-half miles at Newbury. The extra distance can see him in an even better light. Things did not go right for Stolen Silver in the Betfair Hurdle, but he can put the record straight by winning the Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle.
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ five-yearold was one of the horses to suffer from a standing start. Slowly away, he never got into the contest but made good late progress to finish eighth, only six-and-a-quarter lengths behind the winner Pic D’Orhy.
Gordon Elliott’s Column of Fire has strong claims in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
The six-year-old is already used to big fields, winning an 18-runner handicap at Punchestown and then a close third of 28 at Leopardstown last time.
Hazel Hill may have suffered defeat at the hands of Minella Rocco at Wetherby, but Philip Rowley’s 12-year-old can show his true colours by landing back-to-back victories in the St James’s Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup.