Saturday’s 2025 Grade One Clarence House Chase will see just four runners heading to post, but the good news for horse racing fans is Jonbon and Energumene are two of them.
Jonbon and Energumene Hold Their Ground As 2025 Clarence House Chase Clash Is On
Having just four runners in a Grade One 2m Chase at Ascot is not ideal at first glance.
But when two of the quartet are the current Champion Chase favourite with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK – Jonbon – and also the two-time winner of the day two Cheltenham Festival feature – Energueme – then all is not lost ahead of the 2025 Clarence House Chase.
Jonbon will take up much of the market and is expected to be sent off odds-on as this year’s Tingle Creek Chase winner looks to win this prize for the first time.
If he can, he’ll also be giving his trainer Nicky Henderson a seventh success in the race. With his first Big Matt in 1996 and his most recent Shishkin in 2022.
Over fences Jonbon has racked up an impressive CV and will also head into the Ascot race having lost only twice from 13 tries over fences.
However, one of those defeats came in this very race 12 months ago when the contest was diverted to Cheltenham Trials Day after the Ascot card was lost.
Jonbon’s loss last year was mainly due to a bad error four out – which you can watch below.
This will also be Jonbon’s first run over fences at Ascot, but he has won here over hurdles.
Saturday’s race will be shown LIVE on ITV Racing and is also the feature race on day two of the Berkshire Winter Million meeting.
Jonbon Career In Numbers
- Age: 9
- Chase Runs: 19
- Chase Wins: 16
- Grade One Chase Wins: 7
- Career Prize Money: £1,015,315
Clarence House Chase 2025 Details
📅Date: Saturday 18th January 2025
⌚Time: 3:25pm
🏇Racecourse: Ascot
🔄Trip: 2m 1f
💷Winning Purse: £98,473
📺 TV: ITV / Sky Sports
Over there years there have been seven Clarence House Chase winners to go and win the Champion Chase.
Energueme The Big Threat To Jonbon In Clarence House Chase
Trainer Willie Mullins won the Clarence House Chase three years on the bounce with Un De Sceaux between 2016-2018.
So full marks to him for bringing over his ageing Champion Chaser Energueme for another crack.
Now aged 11, this two-time Queen Mother Champion Chase winner, missed 593 days between April 23 and Dec 24 with some setbacks. But returned last month at Cork to win the Hilly Way Chase in great fashion.
The form of that win has also since been boosted with Banbridge, who unseated late on in the Hilly Way, going onto land the King George VI Chase at Kempton over Christmas.
Like Jonbon, Energueme has a chasing profile only other horses can dream of.
Winning 11 of his 13 starts and racking up over £1m in total prize money.
However, those looking to take on the Mullins old-timer, will look to the fact his only two defeats came in this race. Once in 2022 with his famous battle with Shishkin and again in 2023 when only third as the 4/9 favourite to Editeur Du Gite.
While others might question if the Ascot ground will be soft enough for Energumene – we’ll find out.
Ahead of Saturday’s clash, the best betting sites in the UK make him the clear second favourite.
Energumene Career In Numbers
- Age: 11
- Chase Runs: 13
- Chase Wins: 11
- Grade One Chase Wins: 6
- Career Prize Money: £1,082,992
Old Rivals Edwardstone and Boothill Take On Jonbon Again
With early Clarence House Chase runners Libberty Hunter and Unexpected Party now not running, the only other entries will be Edwardstone and Boothill. Two horses Jonbon knows well.
Boothill got to 1 1/2 lengths of Jonbon in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham in November (watch below), but is now 0-from-3 when taking on the Henderson horse and has also fallen in three of his last five starts.
On a plus, Boothill loves Ascot – where he’s 3-from-3 over fences.
We’ve another 11 year-old in the race in Edwardstone, but after a fantastic career that peaked with a Arkle Chase win at Cheltenham and also the Tingle Creek Chase in 2022.
However, you feel his best days are now behind him.
He’s 0-from-5 too when taking on Jonbon and like Boothill has been prone to a tumble of late – falling in two of his last four. His last win came in the 2024 Game Spirit Chase at Newbury (watch below).
Both the trainers of Boothill (Harry Fry) and Edwardstone (Alan King) are also yet to land the Clarence House Chase.
