Nicholls first eleven, Welsh wizardry and a lean Machine

Poor old Clan des Obeaux. Usually the winner of the King George would steal all the headlines. Especially one winning his second consecutive Kempton showpiece.

But due to the surfeit of top class racing over the last few days he has had to share the spotlight with others.

He was good though, and he made it eleven wins in the race for Paul Nicholls. And the Ditcheat handler has that total with just four horses

Obviously Kauto Star won five, but his other three winners, See More Business, Silviniaco Conti, and Clan Des Obeaux have all won two apiece.

So if a Nicholls trained horse wins next year we should be looking very carefully at that horse for 2021.

I did write that Clan Des Obeaux will look overpriced should he win and he was as big as 6/1 pre race. Sam Twiston-Davies had no real worries throughout and the winner was always travelling best of all.

Cyrname possibly didn’t stay and Lostintranslation was never really going. Footpad ran a good race before the petrol tank hit empty. It was good to see him back.

Given his due

I do hope Clan Des Obeaux is given his due regarding the race rather than being seen as beneficiary of the top two running below their level.

He won a Grade One by twenty one lengths. He may not be a Gold Cup horse but he certainly acts around Kempton.

There will be singing in the valleys after Potters Corner became the first Welsh trained horse to win the Welsh Grand National since 1965.

He was tough at the end of the Chepstow marathon as his rivals tried to close. Christian Williams, probably better known for his association with the legend that was Denman in his hurdling days, trained the winner to his second national after the gelding won the Midlands version at Uttoxeter in March.

He obviously likes Chepstow as he has four wins from five at the course.

Faugheen is surely a freak. The Machine, who will become a twelve year old next week, destroyed Samcro in the Grade One novice chase at Limerick. How good a horse must he be? And how good a trainer is Willie Mullins?

And once again the sportsmanship in horse racing has been shown. Harry Cobden was the first to congratulate Sam Twiston-Davies after his King George win even though he could have been on the winner.

And Jack Tudor received what looked like genuinely warm congratulations after his Welsh National win. I love our sport.