Clan Des Obeaux 'should run very well' Clan Des Obeaux aims to confirm the impression he created last time out when he runs in an intriguing renewal of the Dipper Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on Sunday. Always viewed as a chaser, despite having proven a very useful juvenile hurdler last season, Paul Nicholls' youngster was rather underwhelming on his seasonal return at Chepstow. He could finish only third behind Rock The Kasbah but with another month of training under his belt, he looked a different proposition at Newbury. Subsequent Grade One runner-up Virgilio could only get to within 10 lengths of Clan Des Obeaux as he never came out of second gear. While connections would prefer softer ground, they head to Cheltenham full of confidence. "I think we'd like to see a bit of rain for him," said Nicholls' assistant Harry Derham. "He's in great form and had a school (on Friday morning) and was very good. "It's a Graded race at Cheltenham and they're always strong races but I don't think any of us would swap our lad. He should run very well." Stablemates Whisper and O O Seven take each other on in the five-runner field. Both Nicky Henderson-trained runners have questions to answer but are extremely talented at their best. Whisper has won the Grade One Liverpool Hurdle twice but when he tried chasing first time around, he did not take to it. Having looked a shadow of his former self last season, he reappeared at Cheltenham's December meeting with plenty to prove but he jumped like an old hand in beating a classy field. O O Seven was most impressive on his chasing debut at Cheltenham but stepped up to three miles for a Grade Two at Doncaster, he never looked comfortable from a long way out. "Both of them have been in good form at home and it looks the right race for them, which is why they both run," said Henderson. "Whisper was very good first time out this season and with him it's all about getting him to put back-to-back good runs together, which he hasn't done for a while. "We know he's got all the ability in the world and he clicked first time out so I hope he does again. "O O Seven looked just as good as Whisper did when he won first time over fences but I don't know what happened next time at Doncaster. It wasn't the trip because he never travelled with any enthusiasm at all. "Since then he has seemed fine at home, has schooled well and done everything right at home so I don't know what happened. If he performs like he did first time, he's got a chance but if he runs like last time, he hasn't."
