Ladbrokes Christmas Festival preview: Paul Nicholls on his team

The 11-time champion trainer has a strong team in action across the two-day Festival. Check out his thought son them all.

Clan Des Obeaux (Ladbrokes King George VI Chase)

"I am very pleased with Clan Des Obeaux since Haydock. He trod on himself at the start and had a little overreach on the bulb of his heel, which meant he was a bit sore for a few days. He started cantering on the Saturday after Haydock and has been fine ever since. He looks great and I am very happy with him.

"He did have a hard race (in the Betfair Chase). It was more testing ground than we would have liked liked, but he was very fit going into the race which helps. We are very happy with him and he seems in really good shape, you wouldn’t know he has run now.

"Any horse who wins two King Georges is a very good horse. He hasn’t performed at Cheltenham, so he may be a little underrated, but if he went and won a third King George that would be special. He is very good around Kempton and that’s what we are focusing on.

"I definitely don’t think Cyrname was anywhere near his best last year. If Cyrname turns up on his A-game, as he was in the Charlie Hall, then it will be very interesting race and Clan might have to put in a personal best

"Both horses will go on any ground, they both go on very testing ground as we have seen before. Hopefully Kempton will be its normal good to soft, which will be absolutely perfect for them both."

Cyrname (Ladbrokes King George VI Chase)

"Cyrname has been really well, it has been a complete role reversal from last year’s preparations. Of the two to have a hard race, Clan Des Obeaux is probably the one who would get over it quickest and will be fine.

"It is just good that Cyrname had that extra month, I wanted to run him that weekend to give us time before Kempton, I didn’t want to run him any later than that. He has had a great prep, come out of that race well and looks fantastic - I am very, very happy. We are in a completely different place to where we were last year.

"We were going to go to Down Royal, but that didn’t come off. The Charlie Hall was the obvious race and it answered a lot of questions; the fact that we now know he goes left-handed and gets three miles, it was a good move in the end.

"He stayed on very strongly in the Charlie Hall, there were no issues with the trip. He will be absolutely fine around Kempton. I have always thought he would stay, he stayed on strongly in all his Ascot races. The King George will be a strong pace, that will suit him very well, especially as he doesn’t need to make his own running now.

"His preparation has gone great, we couldn’t be happier with him. It will be a lot closer and different to last year, that’s for sure, they have both had different preparations, they both go into the race in really good form. I think it will be a very interesting race and it will be one hell of a job to split them."

Frodon (Ladbrokes King George VI Chase)

"It just didn’t work out at Aintree (in the Many Clouds Chase), like it didn’t two years ago. He has come out of the race fine, it is just a matter of freshening him up. There is not much else to run him in, so we will let him take his chance and Mr Vogt would love to have a runner in the King George."

Real Steel (Ladbrokes King George VI Chase)

"He has come of his Ascot race well, he needed the run and he will improve for it. I think three miles is probably his trip.

"He ran very well in last year’s Gold Cup, although it wasn’t a strong pace and not such an issue on stamina as Kempton will be. You would have to say he is playing for places on all known form, but he will give a good account of himself."

Enrilo (Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase)

"He has had two runs over fences this year and done very well, he was second and then he won. He is best when he is fresh and the track will suit him well. He will have to improve a little bit on his rating, but I think he is well capable of improving and running very well."

Diego Du Charmil (Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase)

"He is a hard horse to place with his rating now. He has been chasing Altior round before, so he will have a bit on his plate if Altior turns up - if Altior is on his A-game."

Tamaroc Du Mathan (Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase)

"Tamaroc Du Mathan won very nicely the other day in a novice handicap off 131 at Wincanton. He has got to improve again and he will run against Shishkin in the Wayward Lad."

Stormy Ireland (Ladbrokes Christmas Festival)

"Stormy Ireland may well run if it is soft. She would have to improve on anything she has done, but she is in a bit of a tough place at the moment. I’d say Epatante would be impossible to beat."