Clarence House Chase Preview

In this piece, for a bit of something different, I thought I'd look into the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday in a bit more detail. With doubt about Haydock staging their meeting, Ascot should be fine and the Clarence House Chase looks a cracker with an intriguing eight runner line-up. I'm now going to look at the profiles of the runners in the field and hopefully pick out the winner.

1 - Bun Doran (Tom George/Sean Bowen) - Bun Doran has been a star for the Tom George stable with placed efforts in the Grand Annual and best of all the Queen Mother Champion Chase 2020 behind Politologue. He had a great season last term winning the Desert Orchid Chase too, his first at Graded level, but he has always pulled up just short at the top level and is likely to do so once again here.

Defi Du Seuil tries to repeat last year's success, but needs to bounce back

 

2 - Defi Du Seuil (Phillip Hobbs/Richard Johnson) - Well, who knows where to start with Defi Du Seuil. He won this race twelve months ago in devastating style, laughing at Un De Sceaux, himself a three time winner of this race in his illustrious career. Going into Cheltenham, we were all looking forward to Altior v Chacun Pour Soi v Defi, but it was to be the biggest anti-climax of the jumps season, with Altior being pulled out before the day and Chacun Pour Soi on the morning of the race. Defi went off 2/5F and was never travelling before ultimately finishing a well beaten fourth. On his comeback, also at Cheltenham, he ran a similar race, never going with his usual zest. He has been given time and the signals have been positive from the yard, but it'll take a brave person to be 100% sure he'll run a race close to his best, however I really hope he does.

3 - Duc Des Genievres (Paul Nicholls/Daryl Jacob) - Duc Des Genievres has a very similar profile to that of Bun Doran. He hasn't won a race since the 2019 Arkle and despite a switch between arguably the two biggest training powerhouses in the UK & Ireland, that of Willie Mullins and now Paul Nicholls, it looks an uphill task for him to be winning this.

Fanion D'Estruval is very much untried at this level.

 

4 - Fanion D'Estruval (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch) - One of a couple of potential flies in the ointment. This five year old has only one win on these shores which came at Newbury in handicap company on his British debut, anihilating a field of good handicappers. He was then pitched in deep at Kempton in the Wayward Lad Novice Chase over Christmas, where he was a close up fifth in a race run in a very fast time. Missing the Arkle at the Festival, he reappeared at Cheltenham in November when beaten into second off top weight in the big field handicap, a good feat for any five year old, before falling three out when still going well in the rearranged Peterborough Chase at the same course last time. He is potentially a big threat here as we know he has a lot of natural ability, but this is his stiffest task to date. 

5 - First Flow (Kim Bailey/David Bass) - The other fly!! First Flow has won his last five starts but this is his hardest test over fences by some way. However, on the flip side, First Flow is a confirmed mudlark, he'd splash through a reservoir for you, but his jumping hasn't been good enough in recent times. I'd have to prefer Fanion D'Estruval of the two unexposed runners.

6 - Le Patriote (Dr Richard Newland/Charlie Hammond) - Le Patriote is the only novice in the field having only had four starts over fences, winning two of them. He has won a Swinton Hurdle at Haydock and actually ran well in last season's Champion Hurdle, but he has a huge task to be competitive here.

Politologue winning the Champion Chase back at Cheltenham pre-Covid!!

 

7 - Politologue (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden) - Politologue, the current Champion Chase winner and a Tingle Creek winner last time out, showing the fire burns very bright indeed. Both of those wins have been impressive and arguably the best two performances of his whole career despite him now being a ten year old. The storyline this week in the lead-up to the race has been the change of jockey for the horse, with Harry Cobden replacing Harry Skelton, due to the latter's commitments riding Nube Negra. Of course he has every chance, but is against stiffer opposition than Sandown last time out and with potential competition for the lead, I'd be a layer rather than a backer at 5/4.

Waiting Patiently ventures south to Ascot again, nearly three years after his Ascot Chase win

 

8 - Waiting Patiently (Ruth Jefferson/Brian Hughes) - Waiting Patiently was supplemented into the race earlier in the week, and of course already has winning form around Ascot, with a win in the 2018 Ascot Chase. He was a brilliant second in the King George over three miles at Christmas, returning after over a year off the track and the drop down a mile in trip is certainly not an issue based on his length defeat behind Defi Du Seuil in the 2019 Tingle Creek Chase. If the gallop is a strong one, which I think it will be, I think Waiting Patiently is the one to be with.

It promises to be a cracking race, on a great day of racing.

Enjoy and take care.