Ascot Saturday
BetMGM Clarence House Chase (Grade 1)
THE most anticipated race of the weekend was the rematch of Il Etait Temps and Jonbon after the pair had finished first and second in the Tingle Creek.
On that occasion, as in the Celebration Chase last season, Il Etait Temps (Willie Mullins/Paul Townend) won with some authority, but the grey never really travelled in the tacky ground at Ascot, in pursuit of leader Thistle Ask (Dan/Harry Skelton), but rejoined by Jonbon (Nicky Henderson/James Bowen) when falling at the penultimate fence when clearly tiring.
That left the bold-jumping Thistle Ask in front and he again produced a fine jump when needed at the last, but was joined on landing by Jonbon, who ground out victory by three lengths at odds of 6/1.
Victory was particularly sweet for James Bowen, who came in for the ride at the last minute when intended rider Harry Cobden (himself standing in for Nico de Boinville, who was riding at Haydock) was stood down by the course doctor.
Bowen’s only previous ride on Jonbon saw the pair beaten at 1/4 in this corresponding race (transferred to Cheltenham) in 2024.
Nicky Henderson now favours the Ryanair for Jonbon at Cheltenham, and having had time to reflect on this success, said on Sunday: “I’ve discussed it with J.P. and the Ascot Chase is where we’ll try to go. He’s done Cheltenham, Aintree and Sandown in the past, so he does back up quite well.
“If he’s not back for Ascot then I would think he’d probably go straight for the Ryanair.”
Betty surprises for Clarke
Dorset trainer Ben Clarke gained the biggest success of his fledgling career when Ooh Betty claimed the Grade 2 Warfield Mares’ Hurdle.
Below form on her two most recent starts, Ooh Betty is a tough rival to pass on her day and was back on song in beating La Conquiere (Jamie Snowden/Gavin Sheehan) by half a length having been sent off at 7/1 in a four-runner race.
The eight-year-old made all the running and, although pressed hard in the straight, kept finding extra to maintain her advantage.
Clarke’s horses have often run well in valuable races, but big-race success had eluded him until now, he described victory as “like winning the Gold Cup”.
Haydock Saturday
STAR of the show at Haydock on Saturday was Old Park Star (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville), who enhanced his Supreme Novice claims by winning the Grade 2 Rossington Main Hurdle (now run as the Sky Bet Supreme Trial) by an impressive 18 lengths.
The son of Well Chosen looked a hurdler of huge potential by outjumping and outgalloping some useful rivals from the front, and those who helped send him off as 4/5 favourite would have been confident throughout as Old Park Star winged his hurdles and maintained a gallop that the others struggled to live with.
In the end, he crossed the line well ahead of market rival Hurricane Pat (Gary and Josh Moore/Caoilin Quinn), who held second throughout but lacked the gears of the winner where it mattered.
He’s now as short as 9/4 for the Supreme Novices and is undoubtedly the best novice seen so far, accepting that something may well emerge from the DRF at Leopardstown next weekend.
“Old Park Star is so professional and if anything was going to beat him today it was the track,” was his rider’s verdict afterwards.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything more and he’s got a massive future. He’s so straightforward and not many win like that.”
Peter Marsh Chase
The Peter Marsh is now the oldest sponsored race in the British Jumps calendar, having first been run in 1981 and it has an illustrious roll of honour, which now includes Imperial Saint (Philip Hobbs and Johnson White/Callum Pritchard).
The eight-year-old landed something of a gamble having been backed from double-figure odds into 7/2 at the off, before scoring by a neck from Richmond Lake (Donald McCain/Brian Hughes) after winning the stirring battle from the final fence.
Once again, Myretown looked a big player until making a calamitous error in the straight and his jumping must be a cause for concern going forward.
The winner is reported to be an unlikely runner at Cheltenham but will be given a Grand National entry.
Windsor Sunday
PROTEKTORAT (Dan/Harry Skelton) lit up Windsor as he attempted to make all the running in the Fleur de Lys Chase, a race he won in 2025, and the crowd roared him all the more when he came back to win after being headed by Handstands with four to jump.
That rival could not maintain his run, but Protektorat - fresh from a recent breathing operation - dug deep to score by three and a quarter lengths, with Resplendent Grey staying on best of the rest in second.
Sent off the evens favourite, Protektorat took a hold and tended to jump right, but that didn’t faze his rider, who knows his quirks well, saying: “Protektorat is the hardest ride as a jockey I’ll probably ever have; he’s just hard to handle.
“He loves running left-handed and he runs with his head to one side. He can be very keen early on, but he has the constitution and will to win and… he’s a pleasure to have.”
Salver serves it up
The Grade 2 Hampton Novices’ Chase was transferred to Windsor on Sunday, having been lost when originally due to take place at Warwick and it allowed Salver (Gary and Josh Moore/Caoilin Quinn) to gain a second win at this level over fences having also won the Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown in November.
He had a good battle with Doyen Quest (Dan/Harry Skelton) over the last few fences, but found extra when needed from the last to score by four and a quarter lengths.
“He’s done well to win because it’s been a bit of a rush job to come here after Kempton,” said Gary Moore. “It just proves what a big-hearted horse he is. He’s very genuine and tries hard, but I don’t think he was suited by this track.
“The ground was against him last time [when fourth in the Kauto Star at Kempton]. He’s got to get his toe in and he shouldn’t have run at Kempton. A few people will want him to go to Cheltenham, but he won’t go there unless it’s soft ground.”
Windsor Friday
THE feature of Friday was the Grade 2 Lightning Novices’ Chase. Non-runners reduced the field to three, and it looked like a match when No Questions Asked (Ben Pauling/Ben Jones) made a bad early mistake that saw him lose his position, but Jones showed great patience in allowing the 7/2 shot to refind a rhythm, and stayed on strongly in the straight to collar favourite Be Aware (Dan/Harry Skelton) when that rival made a mistake of his own two from home, going on to win by a length with the pair a long way clear.
No Questions Asked was second to Wendigo in the Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase and was getting back on the up, having run below form back at Ascot the last time.
“There’s loads of improvement to come and I’m delighted to have won a nice prize,” said Pauling. “We’re a fortunate winner, but jumping is the name of the game and he’s run well. He might not end up going to Cheltenham and could end up at Aintree over two and a half miles.”