Paul Nicholls sends Clan Des Obeaux to Denman Chase

Paul Nicholls wheels out one of his big guns in the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury, with dual King George VI Chase winner Clan Des Obeaux hoping to put an end to the Ditcheat yard's relatively poor run of form.

Last week, Sandown scorer Dolos provided the sole winner from 11 runners in a frustrating weekend for the 11-times champion trainer.

That success is the only one in the yard’s last 37 runners, with the 59-year-old handler drawing stumps this week in a bid to get to the bottom of the problem.

Yet he has every faith that Clan Des Obeaux, who finished runner-up to Tornado Flyer in a bid for a third King George victory on Boxing Day, can roll back the years and go one better than in last year’s renewal.

Nicholls said: "He got beat in this last year by (stablemate) Secret Investor which was surprising, but since that day we’ve put cheekpieces on him and he’s not really looked back.

"He’s in good shape and the ground should be fine. The only negative is the form of the yard, but I’m looking forward to running him.

"The fact he’s not going to Cheltenham means there aren’t too many options for him. The ground seems ideal."

Clan Des Obeaux takes on four rivals, including Haydock’s Peter Marsh Chase winner, the Venetia Williams-trained Royale Pagaille, and Colin Tizzard’s Silvinaco Conti Chase runner-up Eldorado Allen.

Meanwhile, Kim Bailey is hopeful Imperial Aura can put a couple of unprepossessing runs behind him and bounce back to form.

The Andoversford handler feels the nine-year-old has had excuses for two runs this term.

Pulled up when well supported in the Grade One Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last March, he subsequently underwent wind surgery and was travelling well on his return in the Betfair Chase before falling six from