Defi Du Seuil and Altior among the stars entered for Clarence House Chase

Defi Du Seuil and Altior could clash for the first time in the Matchbook Clarence House Chase at Ascot on January 18 after entries for the Grade 1 event were released on Thursday.

The first four in last month’s Betfair Tingle Creek – Defi Du Seuil, Un De Sceaux, Waiting Patiently and Janika – were among eight entries for the £150,000 race.

Altior landed the contest last year and could be set for a drop in trip having finished second to Cyrname in the Christy 1965 Chase over 2m5f on his return, although his trainer Nicky Henderson has mentioned the Silviniaco Conti Chase [over 2m4f] on January 11 at Kempton as another option. He missed a planned engagement over the festive period in the Desert Orchid Chase due to an abscess.

Defi Du Seuil defeated Politologue in the Shloer Chase on his first start of the campaign before narrowly prevailing by a neck over Un De Sceaux – the most successful horse in the history of the Clarence House Chase with three victories – at Sandown last time.

Waiting Patiently: won the Betfair Ascot Chase in 2018Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Waiting Patiently caught the eye when a strong-finishing third in the Tingle Creek on his first start of the season and boasts Grade 1-winning form at Ascot, while fourth Janika filled the same spot in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Capeland, fourth in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton last week, stablemate Magic Saint and Marracudja – a recent winner of the Castleford Chase for Dan Skelton at Wetherby – complete the entries.

Paddy Power's Clarence House Chase market
6-4 Defi Du Seuil, 5-2 Altior, Un De Sceaux, 7-2 Waiting Patiently, 14 Janika, 20 Magic Saint, 33 Capeland, 50 Marracudja

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