Paul Nicholls insists Clan Des Obeaux is ready for ‘a tough old race with Allaho’ as he seeks to retain the Punchestown Gold Cup
- Clan Des Obeaux takes on Cheltenham Festival winner Allaho on Wednesday
- Allaho has won the last two runnings of the 2m 4f Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham
- Minella Indo and Al Boum Photo are also in line-up for Punchestown Gold Cup
Paul Nicholls-trained Clan Des Obeaux must overcome dual Cheltenham Festival winner Allaho if he is to win Wednesday’s Punchestown Gold Cup for the second year running.
Like last year, Clan Des Obeaux arrives at Ireland’s premier jumps meeting having bypassed the Cheltenham Festival and won the Betway Bowl at the Grand National meeting.
Nicholls said: ‘It’s about running the right horses in the right races. We thought that the Punchestown Gold Cup would suit Clan and that’s why we’re back again.
Clan Des Obeaux faces Cheltenham Festival winner Allaho in the Punchestown Gold Cup
‘It’s going to be a tough old race with Allaho. He had a harder race at Aintree than last year but this race suits him and the track suits him.’
Allaho has won the last two runnings of the 2m 4f Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.
The nine-horse line-up also includes two previous Cheltenham Gold Cup winners: Minella Indo (2021) and Al Boum Photo (2019 and 2020).
