Paul Townend relishing Clarence House reunion with hot favourite Energumene

Paul Townend believes Energumene's tactical versatility will stand him in good stead when lining up for the resurrected Clarence House Chase, which is scheduled to take place at Cheltenham on Saturday (1.20).

Six were declared for the Grade 1, which is due to be run under the Albert Bartlett banner assuming the track beats the freeze that caused its cancellation at Ascot last Saturday.

While last season's Arkle winner Edwardstone commands plenty of respect, Townend will be keeping a close eye on the supplemented Editeur Du Gite, a confirmed pace angle in the race and one that may require him to take a more measured approach on Energumene, just as he did when landing last season's Queen Mother Champion Chase.

"Edwardstone is exciting but comes here off the back of an unseat, which isn't ideal, especially when you are taking on a horse like ours," said Townend. "Reports say he is jumping well, but in top class races like this you can't come with any excuses."

Writing in his Ladbrokes blog, Townend added: "Editeur Du Gite will play a hand in the race as well. He likes to go forward but the bigger field [than the original three declared at Ascot] isn't a worry. Energumene showed us last year that he can be versatile with the way he runs."

Energumene is a best-priced 8-15 favourite to extend his record over fences to nine wins from ten, his only defeat coming at the end of a titanic battle with Shiskin at Ascot 12 months ago.

"I am delighted that the Clarence House Chase was rescheduled at Cheltenham," said Townend. "It is a bigger field but Energumene is still the one you would want to ride in the race.

"His run at Cork in the Hilly Way Chase was a nice introduction for the season. He didn't do anything flashy, just did what he needed to."

Amarillo Sky, Funambule Sivola and Sizing Pottsie complete the field.

Clarence House Chase runners and riders

Amarillo Sky Brendan Powell
Edwardstone Tom Cannon
Energumene Paul Townend
Funambule Sivola Charlie Deutsch
Sizing Pottsie Tom Scudamore
Editeur Du Gite Niall Houlihan

Protektorat and Noble Yeats clash in Cotswold Chase

With Coole Cody taken out of the Cotswold Chase – he runs in the two and a half mile handicap 35 minutes earlier – a field of six was declared, with Protektorat and Noble Yeats preparing to put their Gold Cup credentials to the test in the Grade 2 Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (2.25).

No winner of the Cotswold Chase has followed up in the Gold Cup in the same year since Looks Like Trouble in 2000, with Protektorat and Noble Yeats both coming into the race off the back of impressive victories in the Betfair Chase and Many Clouds Chase respectively as they aim to buck the trend.

Ahoy Senor and Sounds Russian were third and fourth behind Noble Yeats at Aintree and will attempt to reverse the form while Frodon, who won the race in 2019, bids to regain his crown. Dusart, last seen running over hurdles at the track in December, completes the line-up.

Six will also go to post for the Albert Bartlett Clarence House Chase (1.20) as Energumene returns to Cheltenham for the first time since last year's Champion Chase victory to take on Tingle Creek winner Edwardstone. The eagerly anticipated clash was delayed for a week with the Grade 1 moved from last Saturday's abandoned Ascot card, but all entries have stood their ground. Amarillo Sky, Funambule Sivola, Sizing Pottsie and the supplemented Desert Orchid winner Editeur Du Gite complete the field.

Delta Work is another festival winner from last season returning to Cheltenham, with Rob James taking 7lb off the Cross Country Chase winner who will carry top weight in what will be the first race of the season over the cross-country course (12.40). 2021 Grand National winner Minella Times and Snow Leopardess are intriguing contenders among the 15 declared.

The evergreen Paisley Park bids for a fourth successive Dahlbury Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle (3.00) win with Relkeel runner-up Dashel Drasher and Gelino Bello, who reverts from chasing for champion trainer Paul Nicholls, the likeliest to thwart Emma Lavelle's veteran's four-timer bid.

Nicholls also has a lively chance in another of the Grade 2s on the card in the form of Winter Novices' Hurdle winner Henri The Second, who takes on the hat-trick-seeking Pembroke and Henry Daly's progressive Blenkinsop in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (3.35).

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Weveallbeencaught, who is entered at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown next weekend and in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle, was not among the 12 declarations.

Cotswold Chase runners and riders

Frodon Bryony Frost
Noble Yeats Sean Bowen
Protektorat Harry Skelton
Ahoy Senor Derek Fox
Dusart James Bowen
Sounds Russian Sean Quinlan

Cleeve Hurdle runners and riders

Botox Has Jamie Moore
Paisley Park Aidan Coleman
Gelino Bello Harry Cobden
Dashel Drasher Rex Dingle
Gold Tweet Johnny Charron
Lord Accord Richie McLernon
Molly Ollys Wishes Harry Skelton

Ga Law: Paddy Power winner steps up in trip at Doncaster on Saturday

Ga Law heads Sky Bet Chase field as bookmaker goes non-runner no bet for Cheltenham Festival

Jamie Snowden's Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Ga Law will take on 11 rivals as he steps up in trip for Doncaster's Sky Bet Chase (3.15) on Saturday.

The seven-year-old will tackle three miles for the first time in the £100,000 feature handicap, with the five-timer-seeking Tea For Three, the well-handicapped Cap Du Nord and last year's winner Windsor Avenue among Ga Law's opposition.

How Ga Law, who is the general 5-2 favourite, handles the extra distance will likely determine his Cheltenham Festival destination as he is entered in both the Ryanair Chase and the Gold Cup.

Also with March's major meeting on their minds are Saturday's big-race sponsor Sky Bet, with the bookmaker going non-runner no bet on all Cheltenham Festival races from Friday.

Non-runner no bet means customers are refunded stakes if their horse does not run in the race. Sky Bet spokesman Michael Shinners said: "It's just over six weeks until the tapes go up for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

"The anticipation is growing and with this in mind we are now non-runner no bet on all 28 races. This means with several horses having multiple options, Sky Bet customers have that safety blanket of knowing if their horse doesn't run in the race, they will get their money back."

Snowden also has Park This One in the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices' Hurdle (2.40), with the Nicholls-trained Stay Away Fay leading the market for the Grade 2 having stayed on stoutly over a shorter trip on his rules debut at Newbury in November.

Ga Law and Park This One will be ridden by Jonathan Burke, who has a stellar book of rides including the Harry Fry-trained Boothill, who bids to make it back-to-back Grade 2 victories in the MND Association Race For Research Lightning Novices' Chase (1.35).

Epatante will be partnered by Nico de Boinville for the first time since taking the 2021 Christmas Hurdle in the Sky Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle (2.05), with regular rider Aidan Coleman required to ride Paisley Park at Cheltenham.

Epatante bids for her first win of the season in the £50,000 Grade 2 mares' contest having bumped into stablemate and Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill in top-level company in two starts this term.

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