# Clarence House Chase

The Clarence House Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong (2 miles and 167 yards, or 3,371 metres), and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in January.
The event was sponsored from its inauguration to 2013 by the bookmaker Victor Chandler. It was registered as the Clarence House Chase, but it was usually referred to by its sponsored title. In 2014 the race reverted to its registered title and the sponsorship was taken over by Sodexo. In 2018 it was sponsored by Royal Salute Whisy and since 2019 Matchbook betting exchange have sponsored the race.
The first running was planned to have taken place in 1987. However, it was abandoned that year due to frost, and also the following year because of fog. Originally it was a handicap race, and its distance was set at 2 miles (3,219 metres). In 2005 and 2006, while its usual home was closed for redevelopment, the event was temporarily switched to alternative venues. Upon returning to Ascot the race's regular distance was extended by a furlong. In 2007 it was promoted to Grade 1 status, and it ceased to be run as a handicap.
The race often includes some of the leading contenders for the Queen Mother Champion Chase. 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) and Altior (2019).

## Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):
* Un de Sceaux – 2016, 2017, 2018
Leading jockey (4 wins):
* Ruby Walsh – Master Minded (2009), Twist Magic (2010) Un de Sceaux (2016, 2017)
Leading trainer (7 wins):
* Nicky Henderson - Big Matt (1996), Isio (2004), Tysou (2006), Sprinter Sacre (2013), Altior (2019), Shishkin (2022), Jonbon (2025)

## Winners

As a handicap race
* Weights given in stones and pounds.
| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Jockey | Trainer |
| 1987 | no race 1987–88 | | | | |
| 1989 | Desert Orchid | 10 | 12-00 | Simon Sherwood | David Elsworth |
| 1990 | Meikleour | 11 | 10-00 | Derek Byrne | Jimmy FitzGerald |
| 1991 | Blitzkreig | 8 | 10-04 | Tommy Carmody | Edward O'Grady |
| 1992 | Waterloo Boy | 9 | 11-10 | Richard Dunwoody | David Nicholson |
| 1993 | Sybillin | 7 | 10-10 | Mark Dwyer | Jimmy FitzGerald |
| 1994 | Viking Flagship | 7 | 10-10 | Richard Dunwoody | David Nicholson |
| 1995 | Martha's Son | 8 | 10-09 | Rodney Farrant | Tim Forster |
| 1996 | Big Matt | 8 | 10-04 | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson |
| 1997 | Ask Tom | 8 | 10-10 | Russ Garritty | Tom Tate |
| 1998 | Jeffell | 8 | 10–11 | Conor O'Dwyer | Arthur Moore |
| 1999 | Call Equiname | 9 | 11-03 | Robert Thornton | Paul Nicholls |
| 2000 | Nordance Prince | 9 | 10-00 | Tony McCoy | Venetia Williams |
| 2001 | Function Dream | 9 | 10–11 | Anthony Ross | Mary Reveley |
| 2002 | Turgeonev | 7 | 10-04 | Richard McGrath | Tim Easterby |
| 2003 | no race 2003 | | | | |
| 2004 | Isio | 8 | 10-05 | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson |
| 2005 | Well Chief | 6 | 11-10 | Timmy Murphy | Martin Pipe |
| 2006 | Tysou | 9 | 11-02 | Mick Fitzgerald | Nicky Henderson |
* ↑ The first two scheduled runnings were cancelled because of frost (1987) and fog (1988)
* ↑ The 1994 race took place at Warwick
* 1 2 The 1997 and 1999 editions were held at Kempton Park
* ↑ It was abandoned in 2003 because of frost and snow. A replacement race was run at Kempton – Tote Exacta Chase, won by Young Devereaux
* ↑ The race was switched to Cheltenham in 2005
* ↑ The 2006 running took place at Sandown Park
As a conditions race
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2007 | no race 2007 | | | |
| 2008 | Tamarinbleu | 8 | Tom Scudamore | David Pipe |
| 2009 | Master Minded | 6 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2010 | Twist Magic | 8 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls |
| 2011 | Master Minded | 8 | Tony McCoy | Paul Nicholls |
| 2012 | Somersby | 8 | Dominic Elsworth | Henrietta Knight |
| 2013 | Sprinter Sacre | 7 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2014 | Sire De Grugy | 8 | Jamie Moore | Gary Moore |
| 2015 | Dodging Bullets | 7 | Noel Fehily | Paul Nicholls |
| 2016 | Un de Sceaux | 8 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2017 | Un de Sceaux | 9 | Ruby Walsh | Willie Mullins |
| 2018 | Un de Sceaux | 10 | Paul Townend | Willie Mullins |
| 2019 | Altior | 9 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2020 | Defi Du Seuil | 7 | Barry Geraghty | Philip Hobbs |
| 2021 | First Flow | 9 | David Bass | Kim Bailey |
| 2022 | Shishkin | 8 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2023 | Editeur Du Gite | 9 | Niall Houlihan | Gary Moore |
| 2024 | Elixir De Nutz | 10 | Freddie Gingell | Joe Tizzard |
| 2025 | Jonbon | 9 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
* ↑ The race was cancelled in 2007 due to a waterlogged course
* ↑ The 2013 race took place at Cheltenham after the original fixture at Ascot was abandoned due to snow
* 1 2 3 The 2017, 2023 and 2024 races took place at Cheltenham after the original fixtures at Ascot were abandoned due to frost