Defi Du Seuil is -125 with Paddy Power to win the Clarence House Chase at Ascot. Even At odds-on, the horse is a backable price because his closest rival is almost double his age. Un De Sceaux has been around the block several times and should struggle to keep up with the younger horse over two miles and one furlong. Happy Diva has the form and ratings to win the main supporting race on the Ascot card, the bet365 Handicap Chase.
Haydock Park stages its biggest jumps meeting of the season after Christmas and the highlight is the New One Unibet Hurdle. This is a prep-race for the Champion Hurdle. The favourite is Pentland Hills at +162.5 with Coral. The horse was the champion juvenile last season but five-year-olds have a poor record in the Champion Hurdle. Cornerstone Lad is a tough and consistent horse who will expose any weaknesses in Pentland Hills and looks the value at the current odds.
The Clarence House Chase is a Grade 1 contest. The race was formerly called the Victor Chandler Chase. It used to be a handicap but is now a conditions race. The field often includes contenders for the Champion Chase and Defi Di Seuil is likely to run in that race. The following 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)
- Altior (2019)
Defi Du Seuil could join that group by winning the Ascot race and the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Un De Sceaux won the Clarence House Chase in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and is the only three-time winner. The leading jockey is the retired Ruby Walsh with 4 wins and Paul Nicholls is the leading trainer, also with 4 wins. Defi Du Seuil is trained by Philip Hobbs and he has never won the Clarence House Chase but that should change at Ascot on Saturday.
Happy Diva is currently on offer at +450 with Ladbrokes for the bet365 Handicap Chase. There are 11 declared runners which means each way bets are settled at one fifth the odds for three places. However, some bookmakers may pay out on four places as the race is a competitive handicap that is being shown live on free-to-view television. Happy Diva won the lucrative handicap chase at Cheltenham in November and is sure to run a solid race.
The favourite is Espoir De Guye at +400 with bet365 so it is a tight betting race. The horse has been progressive over fences this season and still could be ahead of his handicap mark. However, the rise of one stone is a big handicap especially in a race in which Happy Diva should run to form. Sam's Adventure has improved in every chase start. The horse is suited to the conditions and the handicap mark but Happy Diva is fancied to win this handicap chase.
Pentland Hills won the championship races for hurdlers aged four at the Cheltenham Festival and the Aintree Grand National meeting. The horse ran with promise on his seasonal reappearance in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham. The going will be testing at Ascot so Pentland Hills could be a vulnerable favourite.
Cornerstone Lad beat Buveur D'Air in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November. The horse will be a threat if allowed to run from the front and on the projected heavy going could be difficult to peg back. Cornerstone Lad is the selection at +400 with William Hill.