CONNECTIONS of last year's winner Un De Sceaux feel Ascot suits their star as much as anywhere ahead of the Clarence House Chase.
The nine-year-old has been Willie Mullins' only runner in Britain this season during the same year in which the Closutton handler went so close to being crowned British champion trainer in April.
Un De Sceaux returned to winning ways in a thrilling renewal of the Tingle Creek at Sandown in December where, despite meeting the last two fences all wrong, he responded gamely to Ruby Walsh's urgings to land the Grade One from Sire De Grugy.
While there is only a possible maximum field of eight, Colm O'Connell, son of owner Edward, is expecting a helter-skelter race featuring a handful of likely front-runners.
"When the you look at Ar Mad, Special Tiara and Royal Regatta, without knowing what our tactics will be, that looks like a red-hot pace," said O'Connell.
"Ascot suits our lad, though, when he won this last year it was just about his most impressive performance.
"He doesn't have to make the running, we saw that in the Tingle Creek, and I think the big thing we have that the others don't is Ruby Walsh.
"He's just always in the right place, he knows where to be and can change plans at the drop of a hat.
"I was so glad when he won the Tingle Creek, more so than for any of his other races.
"Last February he was 4-6 to win a Queen Mother. Four months later people were saying he was past his best, when, in reality, he wasn't.
"He just wasn't as good as Sprinter Sacre, but who was?
"I'm very hopeful he'll be going there but it looks a hard race.
"I certainly won't be backing him at 4-5, anyway."
Un De Sceaux will not meet Sire De Grugy again after trainer Gary Moore decided to wait for Newbury for his stable stalwart and have Ar Mad as his sole representative in the race instead.
"He's not going to run at the weekend," said Moore.
"It's coming too soon for him. I know he got rid of Jamie early, but he galloped a full circuit.
"He'll go straight to Newbury now for the Game Spirit.
"Ar Mad will run and it at least means Jamie can ride him."
There is a second Irish-trained entry in the Henry de Bromhead-trained Special Tiara, winner of the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas.
Dodging Bullets, successful in this race in 2015, represents Paul Nicholls, while the list is filled by Eastlake, Royal Regatta and Top Gamble.
The only withdrawal at the confirmation stage was, as expected, the Nicky Henderson-trained Altior.
READ MORE
Source: Read Full Article
