Poor conditions in southern England means just three horses are planning to line up at Ascot on Saturday for the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase.
Sub-zero overnight temperatures mean the course – currently declared soft – may not be raceable come the weekend. An inspection is planned for 4:00 p.m. (UK time) on Thursday, so punters will be advised to wait for the go-ahead before placing bets.
Should the 2 mile 1 furlong contest take place, it will provide a stern test for horses gearing up for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
First run in 1989, it shares names on its Roll of Honour with winners of the “Champion”, such as Master Minded and Sprinter Sacre.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: January 19th, 9:30 A.M. (GMT)
Looking to add his name to the Clarence House winners’ board having won last year’s Champion Chase is Energumene, the 1.44 favourite with William Hill.
The 9-year-old came so close a year ago to taking this title but was narrowly beaten by Shishkin before comfortably winning the Cheltenham title in March.
Since then, Willie Mullins has taken him to two triumphs in Ireland; the Grade 1 William Hill Champion Chase at Punchestown and the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork.
No jockey is confirmed thus far, but he has been partnered by Paul Townend in nine of his last ten outings.
If the battle with Shishkin was not enough, Energumene may have another close contest on his hands with second favourite, Edwardstone.
2.62 with William Hill, the 9-year-old was in excellent form before unseating Tom Cannon in last month’s Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton.
He had six wins and one second from his previous seven runs, three of which – the Tingle Creek and Henry VIII Novices Chase at Sandown and Cheltenham’s Arkle Challenge Trophy – were Grade 1 wins. In the Tingle Creek, he had too much for Shishkin.
Cannon will be riding again, as he was for all that success for trainer Alan King, who has never tasted victory in this race. Edwardstone loves the soft ground but tends to prefer familiar surroundings – this will be his first taste of Ascot.
Very much making up the field in this three-horse contest is 26.00 outsider Amarillo Sky, trained by Joe Tizzard and ridden by Brendan Powell.
Rated 150 compared with his opponents’ 176 and 170, the 7-year-old will have to step up significantly to have any say in Saturday’s outcome.
A winner of two handicap chases in November, his last entry prior to this season was the Grade 1 Maghull Novices Chase at Aintree where he came last of six, in which Edwardstone was runner-up.
