Nicholls plots Gold Cup route
Clan Des Obeaux to follow Kauto Star path Un De Sceaux among 11 Game Spirit possibles
Standing in the winner’s enclosure after Clan Des Obeaux had just given him a 10th King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, Paul Nicholls said the last thing he wanted for the horse was a slog against Native River in the Denman Chase on Newbury’s Super Saturday.
However, a lack of viable options and a quick flick through the history books has led to a change of plan, which means Native River, twice a winner of the race, versus Clan Des Obeaux, with Coneygree thrown in for good measure, gives Saturday’s Denman Chase the look of a key British trial for this year’s Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Talking about the change of plan yesterday, Nicholls said: “I didn’t really want to get into a scrap with Native River, but there are not many options and we have always done well running at Newbury and then going to the Gold Cup with Denman and Kauto Star.
“It is hard for a horse to run at Kempton and then go straight to the Gold Cup and expect them to run at their very best. I’ve always thought a prep run, when they are going to improve, will do them good. We’ve worked him away quietly and haven’t been hard on him. He is in good shape, but will improve for Saturday.
“I remember Kauto Star had a bit of a scare when he only just beat L’ami and he just improved from there until he won the Gold Cup. You don’t want them at their best but you want them fit enough to do themselves justice, which is where Clan Des Obeaux is at the moment.”
Nicholls said he would expect Native River to be fully wound up and hard to beat. “It’s going to be interesting. Everything about him makes me think Clan Des Obeaux is becoming a proper horse. He has grown up physically and mentally.”
Newbury may not have Altior gracing the Game Spirit Chase this year, but may well host the popular Irish chaser Un De Sceaux for the first time.
He was one of 11 entries for the reopened race yesterday. Others who could line up with him are Waiting Patiently, Fox Norton, who chased Altior home on his comeback start in the Clarence House, and the smart novice Kalashnikov, although he is also in the Kingmaker at Warwick the same day.