Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
UN DE TROIS
Sceaux to make it three in a row
UN DE SCEAUX will be very hard to beat in his quest for a record third success in the Clarence House Chase (3.35) at Ascot.
With a field of only four opponents, Willie Mullins’ admirable 10-year-old will go off at cramped odds to add to his victories of the past two years.
But, with the rains having arrived in Royal Berkshire – the going is officially soft, good to soft in places – Un De Sceaux cannot sensibly be taken on.
Seven times a winner at the top level over the larger obstacles, my selection bludgeoned his rivals from the front in the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork 15 days before Christmas and his foes, including the upwardly mobile novice Brain Power, will have their work cut out to catch him.
Another market leader who should oblige is
in the Grade 2 olbg.com mares’ Hurdle (1.50).
The Warren Greatrextrained mare has suffered just two defeats over hurdles – at Cheltenham and
Aintree’s marquee fixtures last spring.
This winter the daughter of
Doctor Dino started with a fluent score in a Listed contest over two miles at Wetherby in November, following up over three at Kempton at the end of that month.
Noel Fehily’s mount still has plenty more to offer, and there will be long faces among connections if she doesn’t take her tally over timber to seven from nine.
Irish raider
is the selection against likely favourite Jenkins in the Ascot Spring Garden Show Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle (2.25). After a creditable third at Down Royal in November, the sixyear-old son of Beneficial represented Arthur Moore in a valuable contest, again over two miles, on Sandown’s Tingle Creek Chase undercard in December.
Crossed My Mind again took the bronze, beaten four and a half lengths by first home A Hare Breath, and gave the impression this sterner test will suit.
He has a fine record over Ascot’s fences – two wins, a third and a fourth from four visits — so makes appeal despite top weight in the bet365 Handicap Chase (3.00).
At Haydock,
(left) looks primed for a fourth win in the Grade 2 Unibet Champion Hurdle Trial (2.40).
Earlier, is the horse who sets the standard in the Grade 2 Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle (2.05).