Punchestown Day Two: Wayne Bailey marks your card with Clan Des Obeaux poised to strike Gold

Paul Nicholls’ star brings impressive form after recent Aintree success

Harry Cobden riding Clan Des Obeaux clear the last to win The Betway Bowl Chase at Aintree Racecourse on April 08, 2021 in Liverpool, England. Sporting venues around the UK remain under restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Only owners are allowed to attend the meeting but the public must wait until further restrictions are lifted. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images)

Wayne Bailey

April 27 2021 08:59 PM

It seems like ages ago now, but once upon a time before Irish-trained horses dominated all the big races on both sides of the Irish Sea, it was noteworthy when a British trainer sent a horse to Ireland for a big race, especially the chases.

In 2008, for example, British trainers sent 30 horses to Ireland for Graded chases, with 10 of those winning. We can write off last year for comparison purposes because of Covid-19, but in 2019, they also sent 30 horses to Ireland for Graded chases but had just two winners.

Granted, 2008 was one of the best years for the British in recent times but the pendulum has definitely swung, and it’s hard to see it coming back any time soon.

Paul Nicholls was responsible for quite a few of those back in the day with seven winning chasers in Ireland from 16 runners in 2008, and four winners from nine runners the following year. Back then, I’d almost always back his horses when they raced here - but times have changed, and in 2019 he had four chase runners but no wins.

Paul Nicholls

One thing I’ve learned, however, is to never write him off, and I’m going to be unpatriotic on Wednesday and back Nicholls’ raider Clan Des Obeaux to put the trainer firmly back on the Irish map in the Grade One Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (5.55).

It is totally understandable that two-time Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo is the market leader here around 6/4, and he’s beaten Clan Des Obeaux before, but I’m willing to put a line through Clan Des Obeaux’s races at the Cheltenham course where his record is poor.

Elsewhere, he’s been very impressive at times, winning the King George twice, and his 26-length win in the Betway Bowl Chase at Aintree last time out was arguably a career best. It seems he’s still got room to improve.

Having won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Al Boum Photo was beaten by Kemboy in this in 2019 and that horse is not without a chance on Wednesday too, having flopped at Cheltenham but previously won the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown. All that makes Al Boum Photo a weak favourite in my book, and the 3/1 about Clan Des Obeaux has plenty of appeal.

Having fallen last time and pulled up in his two previous races, Willie Mullins’ Blue Sari is not the most attractive option on paper for the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle (4.50), but that fall came at the last in the Coral Cup Handicap at Cheltenham where he was on the way to taking second place.

His career has gone astray a little, but it’s worth remembering he was second to Envoi Allen in the 2019 Cheltenham Champion Bumper and I feel he’s still got some more left to offer, making his early odds of 3/1 quite attractive.

In the following Grade One Novice Hurdle (5.20), I’m very keen on another Mullins runner, Galopin Des Champs, under Paul Townend at 5/2 or thereabouts.

A winner of the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham, the five-year-old could be something special and while the three-mile distance is an unknown, I’ve a strong feeling he’s got the class to see it out. Vanillier is the danger horse.

Priced around 6/5, Sir Gerhard gets the nod in the Grade One ITM - Supporting Irish Store Sales Champion I.N.H. Flat Race (6.30) under Patrick Mullins. He takes on Kilcruit again which he beat in the Cheltenham Champion Bumper, and there’s no reason to believe that the form will be reversed, although there won’t be too much in it.

For an each-way bet, a chance is taken on Tiger Voice which was trading at 10/1 yesterday for the Grade A Guinness Handicap Chase (7.0) for Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore.

A promising looking sort, he’s at the bottom of the weights here but he was third in a Limerick handicap off a rating of 128, and has scope to land a place. Willie Mullins’ Livelovelaugh is the other stand-out selection but is a little short at 11/2.

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