Clarence House Chase

The Clarence House Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong (2 miles and 167 yards, or 3,371 metres), and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in January.

Clarence House Chase
2021
First Flow Politologue Waiting Patiently

The event was sponsored from its inauguration to 2013 by the bookmaker Victor Chandler. It was registered as the Clarence House Chase, but it was usually referred to by its sponsored title. In 2014 the race reverted to its registered title and the sponsorship was taken over by Sodexo. In 2018 it was sponsored by Royal Salute Whisy and since 2019 Matchbook betting exchange have sponsored the race.

The first running was planned to have taken place in 1987. However, it was abandoned that year due to frost, and also the following year because of fog. Originally it was a handicap race, and its distance was set at 2 miles (3,219 metres). In 2005 and 2006, while its usual home was closed for redevelopment, the event was temporarily switched to alternative venues. Upon returning to Ascot the race's regular distance was extended by a furlong. In 2007 it was promoted to Grade 1 status, and it ceased to be run as a handicap.

The race often includes some of the leading contenders for the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Seven horses have won both races in the same season – Viking Flagship (1994), Call Equiname (1999), Master Minded (2009), Sprinter Sacre (2013), Sire de Grugy (2014), Dodging Bullets (2015) and Altior (2019).

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):

Leading jockey (4 wins):

  • Ruby Walsh – Master Minded (2009), Twist Magic (2010) Un de Sceaux (2016, 2017)

Leading trainer (5 wins):

  • Paul Nicholls – Call Equiname (1999), Master Minded (2009, 2011), Twist Magic (2010), Dodging Bullets (2015)

Winners

As a handicap race

Year
 Winner
 Age
 Weight
 Jockey
 Trainer
1987 no race 1987–88 [lower-alpha 1]
1989 Desert Orchid 10 12-00 Simon Sherwood David Elsworth
1990 Meikleour 11 10-00 Derek Byrne Jimmy FitzGerald
1991 Blitzkreig 8 10-04 Tommy Carmody Edward O'Grady
1992 Waterloo Boy 9 11-10 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson
1993 Sybillin 7 10-10 Mark Dwyer Jimmy FitzGerald
1994 Viking Flagship [lower-alpha 2] 7 10-10 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson
1995 Martha's Son 8 10-09 Rodney Farrant Tim Forster
1996 Big Matt 8 10-04 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
1997 Ask Tom [lower-alpha 3] 8 10-10 Russ Garritty Tom Tate
1998 Jeffell 8 10–11 Conor O'Dwyer Arthur Moore
1999 Call Equiname [lower-alpha 3] 9 11-03 Robert Thornton Paul Nicholls
2000 Nordance Prince 9 10-00 Tony McCoy Venetia Williams
2001 Function Dream 9 10–11 Anthony Ross Mary Reveley
2002 Turgeonev 7 10-04 Richard McGrath Tim Easterby
2003 no race 2003 [lower-alpha 4]
2004 Isio 8 10-05 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
2005 Well Chief [lower-alpha 5] 6 11-10 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe
2006 Tysou [lower-alpha 6] 9 11-02 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
  1. The first two scheduled runnings were cancelled because of frost (1987) and fog (1988)
  2. The 1994 race took place at Warwick
  3. The 1997 and 1999 editions were held at Kempton Park
  4. It was abandoned in 2003 because of frost and snow. A replacement race was run at Kempton – Tote Exacta Chase, won by Young Devereaux
  5. The race was switched to Cheltenham in 2005
  6. The 2006 running took place at Sandown Park

As a conditions race

Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
2007 no race 2007 [lower-alpha 1]
2008 Tamarinbleu 8 Tom Scudamore David Pipe
2009 Master Minded 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2010 Twist Magic 8 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2011 Master Minded 8 Tony McCoy Paul Nicholls
2012 Somersby 8 Dominic Elsworth Henrietta Knight
2013 Sprinter Sacre[lower-alpha 2] 7 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2014 Sire de Grugy 8 Jamie Moore Gary Moore
2015 Dodging Bullets 7 Noel Fehily Paul Nicholls
2016 Un de Sceaux 8 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2017 Un de Sceaux[lower-alpha 3] 9 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2018 Un de Sceaux 10 Paul Townend Willie Mullins
2019 Altior 9 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
2020 Defi Du Seuil 7 Barry Geraghty Philip Hobbs
2021 First Flow 9 David Bass Kim Bailey
  1. The race was cancelled in 2007 due to a waterlogged course
  2. The 2013 race took place at Cheltenham after the original fixture at Ascot was abandoned due to snow
  3. The 2017 race took place at Cheltenham after the original fixture at Ascot was abandoned due to frost

See also

References
  • pedigreequery.com – Victor Chandler (Clarence House) Chase – Ascot.
  • Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 49. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.
  • Race Recordings 1989–2004
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.