Clarence House Chase Odds

What is the Clarence House Chase?

The Clarence House Chase is a Grade 1 race run over two miles, one furlong, and is run at Ascot racecourse in January.

The race is open to horses aged five years and over and is regarded as one of the elite trials for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, which is the Championship two-mile event at the Cheltenham Festival. While the Clarence House Chase is a prestigious race in its own right, it can be a contest that throws up a smart winner to watch in the spring festivals, and it has an illustrious roll of honour.

What happened in the 2020 Clarence House Chase?

It was built up as a magnificent match between three-times winner Un De Sceaux and the new kid on the block Defi Du Seuil, but it proved to be a one-sided affair with the latter breezing to an emphatic victory in the Grade 1 contest and cement his place at the head of the betting for the 2020 Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Un De Sceaux set the early fractions, but Barry Geraghty was always stalking his market rival on board Defi Du Seuil, and turning for home it was the recent Tingle Creek Chase winner that stormed to the front and scooted clear to win by two-and-three-quarter lengths with Un De Sceaux in second and outsider Marracudja running an almighty race to finish third.

The history of the Clarence House Chase

First run in 1989, the Clarence House Chase was run as a handicap and the inaugural race was won by the legendary chaser Desert Orchid, who produced one of his finest performances on a racecourse to claim victory.

However, in 2007 it was extended from two miles to two miles, one furlong, and it ceased to be handicap and was given Grade 1 status, and is now regarded as one of the premier Grade 1 chases in the racing calendar, and is a contest targeted by all the premier trainers.

Being a key trial for the Queen Mother Champion Chase and sometimes the Ryanair Chase, this event will continue to throw up top notch winners, as they use it as a stepping stone to bigger glories later in their career.

Who is the most iconic winner of the Clarence House Chase?

The roll of honour is a who's who of top notch chasers, so it's extremely hard to pick out the most iconic winner of the Clarence House Chase. Desert Orchid (1989) Viking Flagship (1994), Call Equiname (1999) and Master Minded (2011, 2013) have all tasted success in the race, as well as Altior in the 2018 renewal.

However, the mighty Sprinter Sacre was a memorable winner of the 2013 renewal, and with the star Nicky Henderson-trained raider on the list, then it's hard to not side with one of the finest equine performers to grace the National Hunt arena.

Are there any trials for the Clarence House Chase?

While it plays as a notable trial for the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Clarence House Chase is one of a host of top races in the two miles, two miles, one furlong bracket. The Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park can prove to be a key trial for the Clarence House Chase, while the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham is another contest that can point you in the right direction when trying to find some trials for this event.

Who is the most successful jockey in the Clarence House Chase?

Richard Dunwoody (1992, 1994) and AP McCoy (2000, 2011) are two premier jockeys that have shone in this race, but it's Ruby Walsh that has the best record in the race, as the top Irish jockey has ridden the winner four times. His first victory came aboard Master Minded in 2009, while he retained his title 12 months later by piloting Twist Magic to victory in 2010. Walsh then won back-to-back renewals in 2016 and 2017, as the Willie Mullins-trained Un De Sceaux outclassed his rivals to hand Walsh a third and fourth win in the race.

Who is the most successful trainer in the Clarence House Chase?

Already mentioned a few times on this page, Paul Nicholls has won the Clarence House Chase five times during his illustrious training career. Saddling Call Equiname to victory in 1999, Nicholls set up Master Minded to two wins in the race, while Twist Magic and Dodging Bullets (2015) enhanced the Ditcheat handler's fine record.