BY GEORGE, HE’S DONE IT!
Twiston-Davies steers classy Clan to back-to-back wins
CLAN DES OBEAUX became the 15th back-to-back winner of the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase and an incredible 11th success for trainer Paul Nicholls but he was a Christmas No1 for jockey Sam Twiston-Davies. And, boy, did he celebrate it.
The 27-year-old jockey, who now rides mainly for his father Nigel and Dr Richard Newland, lost his job as Nicholls’ stable jockey in May 2018 and conceded he had worried that big-race opportunities would be hard to find after conceding that role.
But he did not blow this welcome chance, winning by 21 lengths from stablemate and 5-4 favourite Cyrname and a further five lengths from Footpad in third, on a horse that had been allowed to drift in the betting to 11-2 as the spotlight shone on the market leader and the disappointing Lostintranslation, who was pulled up by his jockey Robbie Power.
The mount on Clan Des Obeaux, who runs in the colours of Paul Barber but is also co-owned by Ged Mason and former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, became available when Twiston-Davies’ successor, Harry Cobden, unsurprisingly chose to ride Nicholls-trained Cyrname.
For him the writing was on the wall way before Clan Des Obeaux jumped into the lead two fences from home in the three-mile £250,000 contest.
Twiston-Davies has had some willing partners during his career, most notably popular hurdler The New One trained by his father Nigel. But there will now be a place forever in his heart for Clan Des Obeaux.
Twiston-Davies (right), who was lifted shoulder high in the winner’s enclosure, said: ‘When you leave an operation like Paul’s you think days like today will be incredibly hard to come by.
‘To ride one of Paul’s in a race like this with a really good chance is a real buzz. I don’t think I have celebrated so hard in my life. I am usually quite timid about things like that.
‘It’s incredibly tough for Harry. He knows he is Paul’s No1 now. These decisions are always incredibly hard to make. I can’t thank him enough how he helped me prepare for the race, going through the videos. It’s an insight a lot of people would not give you. It shows his character.’
Cobden, who 12 months earlier had correctly chosen to ride Clan Des Obeaux when unplaced Politologue was shorter in the betting and handed to TwistonDavies, was philosophical in defeat.
He said: ‘Cyrname was flat all the way and when he got going he never really wanted to go.’
Only two horses in the last 40 years have won the King George without racing over three miles before and they were greats of the contest — Desert Orchid and
Kauto Star. On softer ground than usual for this Boxing Day race, the task facing Cyrname had perhaps been underestimated despite his raw talent.
Clan Des Obeaux followed last year’s King George by finishing fifth to Al Boum Photo in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Nicholls had reservations about that race but now feels the seven-year-old is better equipped for Cheltenham in March.
Nicholls said: ‘He is a better horse this year. He is a year older and stronger. If he keeps going forward, it could put him in the Gold Cup picture. The key is to keep him fresh. It would not be the worst decision to go straight to the Festival.’ The run of Lostintranslation looked too bad to be true and his trainer Colin Tizzard, who was forced to scratch 2016 winner Thistlecrack because of a bruised foot, said: ‘It was probably not just the ground, although Robbie thought it was. He might have a little wind issue. We don’t know yet. Hopefully he is better than that but we will have his breathing checked out.’