The Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Ascot is the feature on a bumper Saturday of jump racing with the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock. At the Berkshire course Jonbon is Unibet 4/6 on to make it seventeen wins from 20 starts for Unibet Ambassador Nicky Henderson and he looks sure to do this after his excellent performance in the Tingle Creek at Sandown. His main rival Energumene had a winning reappearance at Cork on his first start for 593 days, though he looks sure to come on for the run he was beaten by Shishkin in 2022 in this race and in 2023 by Editeur Du Gite when the race was run at Cheltenham.

Energumene despite all his talent will miss out on the Clarence Chase once again and I know I say this every time but Jonbon doesn’t get all the plaudits he deserves!

Enjoy whether at Ascot or Haydock, with coverage for those #athome on ITV.

Cheers

The Wine Tipster

2.15 Ascot – Handicap Chase (2m 5f)

Scarface (nap) second here to Kotmask in December has a 3lb swing in the weights, which gives the former a chance of reversing the form. Scarface has slowly been getting himself fitter this season after looking badly in need of his first couple of runs and with the extra two furlongs that can work in his favour. This looks his chance and he can take the lead late on this time.

Unibet 9/2 win

2.30 Haydock – Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (3m 1½f)

Trelawne is just selected to take on the remarkable Royal Pagaille, the undisputed track champion at Haydock but winning this from a mark of 166 would be some feat, even for him. He has to give a stone to Trelawne and more away to the rest, and perhaps that might be just beyond him, although he showed plenty of guts when taking the big chase here in November.

Trelawne is going to appreciate the return to a left-handed track after jumping the other way at Ascot last time, though still running a very solid race to finish fourth to Victtorino. The key piece is that Trelawne was very game when beating Iroko in November over two miles five furlongs as he held off the challenge of the runner-up and was starting to move away at the finish on ground that was more testing than the official soft going. This talented nine-year-old remains unexposed at staying trips and looks the type on his twelfth career appearance to progress once again on returning to Haydock.

Unibet 4/1 win

2.50 Ascot – Handicap Hurdle (2m 3½f)

Doddiethegreat for Unibet Ambassador Nicky Henderson was marked up in my Unibet blog at Kempton on Boxing Day only to pull up early after being hampered at the start.

He was returning to hurdling after not jumping smoothly on chasing debut at Kempton in November.

Doddiethegreat was first noted in my Unibet blog when fourth in the big handicap hurdle at Newbury in February last year when doing all his best work late on and then he didn’t run his race at the Cheltenham Festival over this distance.

He clearly has lots of ability and this nine-year-old is having only his eleventh career start with more to come over hurdles.

Unibet 5/1 win

Spirit D’Aunou looked in need of the run at Sandown when well beaten, but he looked a lot fitter at Newbury last time out when fourth to Jipcot and with the addition of cheekpieces, performed a lot better. He looks to be coming back to form and can go well here.

Unibet 9/1 each way  

3.05 Haydock – Handicap Hurdle (3m ½f)

Lossiemouth is not the Willie Mullins trained Cheltenham Festival contender, but the Lossiemouth who reappeared at Newbury in November after having 1,066 days off the track and he finished fourth to Hermino AA. It is worth watching the replay of this race as Lossiemouth looked as though he was going to be second to only lose out on the run in to finish five and a half lengths behind the winner. That was a very promising return in a race which has had strong form lines since and it is important to note that Lossiemouth’s previous appearance had been in the Challow Hurdle in 2021 when finishing fifth to Stage Star, having won three on the bounce before this Grade 1. He has been given time since Newbury and this is a good opportunity.

Unibet 6/1 each way

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