CLAN STANDING OUT

THE best horse does not always win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. It can be the horse in the best physical condition on the day and the one that has had the most trouble-free preparation for the race.

As we stand, four weeks from the feature race at the Festival, Clan Des Obeaux has presented a pretty strong case that he is the best staying chaser currently in training and it looks like he will have had the best lead-up of the big contenders.

Ante-post favourite Presenting Percy was absent on Saturday and there is now a possibly that he will line up in the Gold Cup without racing over fences this season. Hardly ideal.

The enforced break caused by equine flu also means Native River will head back to Cheltenham without his intended prep-run.

Not so with Clan Des Obeaux. Trainer Paul Nicholls had planned to run his King George VI Chase winner in the Denman Chase, and although that race was delayed a week and switched from Newbury to Ascot, he got his wish on Saturday.

I also continue to be impressed by the tenacity of Nicholls’ Haydock winner Quel Destin and Al Dancer.