Tag Archive for: Clarence House Chase

Editeur Du Gite added to Clarence House field

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Editeur Du Gite has been supplemented for the rearranged Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Gary Moore’s charge put himself in the Champion Chase picture when causing a shock in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over the Christmas period.

Although not amongst the candidates for the Grade One contest at Ascot last Saturday, the nine-year-old has won twice at Prestbury Park and his record in Gloucestershire has seen connections part with £2,250 to add him to the field.

The big clash between Energumene and Edwardstone is still on as both also appeared among the confirmations.

The duo were set to clash at the race’s traditional home of Ascot, but with the Berkshire track’s meeting falling victim to the latest cold snap last Saturday, the pair now get the chance to return to the scene of their greatest triumphs .

Respective trainers Alan King and Willie Mullins were quick to state their intentions to line up in the rearranged contest and they have been joined by Joe Tizzard’s Amarillo Sky who was the only other horse declared for Ascot.

Amarillo Sky, here winning at Newbury, is a possible for the Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham
Amarillo Sky, here winning at Newbury, is a possible for the Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham (John Walton/PA)

Adding their names to the mix are Venetia Williams’ Funambule Sivola, who was second behind Energumene in the Champion Chase last March, and David Pipe’s Sizing Pottsie.

The Pond House handler admits his charge has a mountain to climb up against what appears the best of the two-mile division – but with an intended outing at Lingfield lost to the elements, is short of options and willing to take a chance in the hunt for the prize-money on offer.

“We would have liked to have gone to Lingfield on Sunday but he is limited for options,” said Pipe.

“Obviously we will be a big price but it won’t be that big a field. It’ll be the plan to try and get as much (prize money) as we can.”

Although the original contest was short of runners, the two-mile Grade One was only reoffered to those still engaged at the six-day forfeit stage.

Big two on course for Clarence House clash

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Energumene and Edwardstone remain on course for a headline clash in Saturday’s LK Bennett Clarence House Chase at Ascot.

The Willie Mullins-trained Energumene was involved in an epic duel in last year’s renewal, going head-to-head with Shishkin up the straight before eventually having to give best to Nicky Henderson’s runner by a length at the line.

Energumene went on to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and the Champion Chase at Punchestown to seal his status as the two-mile chase king.

He returned with a bloodless victory in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork last month and is an odds-on favourite to beat Edwardstone this weekend.

“Energumene is in great form and has come out of Cork really well. Imran (Haider), who rides him out and looks after him, is delighted with him, so it is all systems go for Ascot,” said assistant trainer Patrick Mullins.

“It is shaping up to be a great race with Edwardstone in there as well. He is last season’s Arkle winner and I was blown away by his performance in the Tingle Creek. It should be a proper race, just like last year.

“We had a good, hard race in defeat last year but it did not dent our chances in the Champion Chase and we are following the same route again this season.”

Edwardstone won the Tingle Creek
Edwardstone won the Tingle Creek (Steven Paston/PA)

Alan King’s plans for Edwardstone were thwarted by the weather earlier in the autumn, but he eventually returned to action when cantering home in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown at the start of December.

He got no further than the fifth fence in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas though, leaving last season’s Arkle hero to go on something of a retrieval mission here.

On the prospect of taking on Energumene, King said: “This is what we do it for, isn’t it? That is why I got hooked on racing as a kid – some of those great battles. Grade One races should be like that. It is what racing is all about.

“At least Energumene will be favourite. That takes a little bit of the pressure off, doesn’t it? Look, I can only worry about my horse really and try to get him there in top form and see what happens. It could be a real spectacle.”

From an initial entry of eight, only one other horse has stood their ground for the £175,000 feature in Joe Tizzard’s Amarillo Sky.

He has won handicap heats at Cheltenham and Newbury this term, but is rated 25lb behind Energumene and 19lb adrift of Edwardstone.

Clarence House Chase target next for Edwardstone

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Edwardstone will run in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on January 21 following his mishap in the Desert Orchid Chase over Christmas.

Alan King is keen to keep last season’s Arkle winner busy, given he only got as far as the fifth fence before unseating Tom Cannon.

Having been thwarted in attempts to run him at Cheltenham and Ascot before his Tingle Creek success, King feels he needs plenty of racing to stay happy.

“He’s 100 per cent. He bounced out the following morning,” King told Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast.

“He’s been cantering away, he schooled this morning, jumped six fences and was foot-perfect.

“He was foot-perfect jumping around Kempton – after he’d got rid of Tom. I just think he was a little bit fresh last week since the Tingle Creek.

“We hadn’t done a lot with him to try to get him there in good form but I just think he was a little bit gung-ho.

“Anyway, he’s going to do plenty of work and hopefully he’ll head to Ascot on the 21st.

“He’s very full of himself, quite boisterous. Ascot will be the plan all being well and we’ll look at the Game Spirit in between (Ascot and Cheltenham).”