Sandown flop Clan Des Obeaux unlikely to run at the Cheltenham Festival

PAUL NICHOLLS has declared Clan Des Obeaux an unlikely runner at the Cheltenham Festival after his disappointing display at Sandown on Saturday.

Sent off favourite for the Grade One Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase, the five-year-old, part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, trained in last of the five runners behind Top Notch.

Stablemate Le Prezien fared better in third, but his Festival target has still to be decided.

“Neither Le Prezien nor Clan Des Obeaux jumped well enough in the Scilly Isles Chase,” the champion trainer told www.paulnichollsracing.com.

“I’ll make a plan for Le Prezien, while Clan Des Obeaux is likely to miss Cheltenham and have a confidence-booster at a flat track on better ground in six weeks before we raise his sights again at maybe Aintree or Ayr.”