Nicholls has a Gold Cup plan for Clan

Paul Nicholls has conceded clan Des obeaux could be vulnerable in saturday’s Betfair Denman chase at Newbury as he aims to get the King George Vi chase winner spot- on for the cheltenham Gold cup.

The gelding part-owned by sir alex Ferguson could face 2015 Gold cup winner coneygree plus last year’s Gold cup winner Native River, who will be trying to land the Denman chase for the third successive year.

Nicholls is wary of getting into a battle that could damage the longer-term prospects clan Des obeaux.

asked if he would be more confident of winning at the Festival on March 15 than on saturday, the 10-time champion trainer said: ‘Possibly, but i still think he will give a good account of himself. We have purposely not been too hard on him. he has done a lot of work and is fit enough to run, but he will improve.

‘That is what you have to gauge. There is no point having him at his limit fitness-wise and having a hard race on saturday. Then you are nursing him back. it’s getting that balance. There is only one race we want to win and that’s the Gold cup. saturday is a prep-race for us.’

Four of 18 Denman chase winners have gone on to win the Gold cup in the same season, including Nicholls-trained Kauto star in 2007 and Denman in 2008. The sponsors make Native River 4-5 favourite for saturday’s race with clan Des obeaux 7-4. a GAMBLING syndicate which thousands of people have poured their savings into and which now faces closure has been placed in the hands of a financial advisory firm.

Members of the layezy Racing syndicate and racehorse owners group, which is run by ex-Kent Police officer Mike stanley, were informed yesterday that Duff and Phelps have been appointed to ‘process refunds to members’.