Clarence House Chase

BetMGM Clarence House Chase: Free Bets, Tips & Insights

As we look ahead to a red-hot renewal of the race, here at betting.bet we’ll provide exclusive betting tips and race insights as well as free bet offers and the latest race odds.

There is Grade 1 horse racing action at Ascot this coming weekend with the BetMGM Clarence House Chase set to headline a superb seven-race Premier Raceday card. As we look ahead to  a red-hot renewal of the race, here at betting.bet we’ll provide exclusive betting tips and race insights as well as free bet offers and the latest race odds from race sponsors BetMGM.

How To Watch The BetMGM Clarence House Chase

Many of the best horse racing betting sites will include live streaming of the BetMGM Clarence House Chase whilst you can watch live coverage of the afternoon’s key races on ITV1’s ITV Racing programme. The race is scheduled to get underway at Ascot at 3:32pm.

Clarence House Chase Race Overview

The Clarence House Chase is contested over a distance of 2m1f and open to horses aged five years and older. First contested in 1989, the Clarence House Chase has held Grade 1 status since 2007.

Un De Sceaux is the race’s most successful horse with three straight wins between 2016 and 2018 for trainer Willie Mullins. Nicky Henderson is the most successful trainer in Clarence House history with six wins, most recently in 2022 with Shishkin. Other notable Clarence House Chase winners include Desert Orchid (1989), Well Chief (2005), Master Minded (2009, 2011), Sprinter Sacre (2013) and Altior (2019).

Last year’s renewal was contested at Cheltenham after Ascot’s meeting was abandoned due to frost. Jonbon went off odds-on a 1/4 but was beaten by a head by shock winner Elixir De Nutz.

Jonbon v Energumene

This year’s Clarence House Chase is shaping up to be a thrilling showdown between odds-on favourite Jonbon and the Willie Mullins-trained star Energumene. Nicky Henderson is eyeing a record-extending seventh Clarence House win as he returns with last year’s beaten favourite Jonbon once again tipped for a big run. The popular nine-year-old has strung together four straight wins since losing out twelve months ago, including three Grade 1 victories. Jonbon’s two runs this season have produced wins in both the Shloer and Tingle Creek Chases whilst he rounded off last season with superb Grade 1 wins in both the Melling Chase and Celebration Chase. Jonbon’s only previous run at Ascot saw him land a Grade 2 novice hurdle back in 2021 as a five-year-old.

Aged eleven, Energumene would become the oldest winner of the race since 1990 but he heads to Ascot in fantastic shape. Energumene was runner-up in the 2022 Clarence House and third twelve months ago but his return to Ascot comes on the back of a dominant ten-length win in the Grade 2 Hilly Way Chase at Cork last month. The ultra-consistent challenger has won 13 of his 16 races under rules and never finished below third. Within the past twelve months he has landed both Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Champion Chase at Punchestown.

Potential Challengers

Jonbon and Energumene are undoubtedly the leading pair in the betting but this year’s Clarence House field is littered with rivals capable of springing a shock in the race. Edwardstone has finished second behind Jonbon on four previous occasions and aged eleven he is unlikely to reverse those places on Saturday. However at odds of 9/1 he offers solid each-way value if anywhere near his best.

Boothill could be the biggest danger at a big price. The Harry Fry-trained ten-year-old fell when right in contention at Kempton last time out but finished just 1 ½ lengths off Jonbon in the Shloer Chase despite a 202-day lay-off. Boothill is a three-time C&D winner and should not be underestimated on Saturday. Similarly , Libberty Hunter steps up in class following an impressive BetMGM Handicap Chase win at Cheltenham last month but he is also more than capable of landing this for Welsh trainer Evan Williams.

Free Bets

Virgin Bet

We’re now less than two months away from the 2025 Cheltenham Festival and as we gear up to the highlight of the National Hunt calendar, Virgin Bet have introduced their Road To Cheltenham free bet offer. If you stake £30 or more on horse racing bets between Friday and Sunday on selected weekends you’ll earn a £5 free bet with a further £5 credited to your account during March’s Cheltenham Festival. If you’re not already a Virgin Bet customer then now could be the perfect time to get on board. In addition to their Road To Cheltenham promotion, Virgin Bet also offer Best Odds Guaranteed and Extra Places on selected UK and Irish horse races. If you sign up to Virgin Bet you can currently also earn £20 in free bets when you deposit and spend your first £10.

BetGoodwin

Horse racing specialists BetGoodwin should be one of your go-to bookmakers for all major horse races in the UK and Ireland. Their strong association with the sport means they are certainly a market leader when it comes to horse racing free bets and promotions. Sign up to BetGoodwin and you can earn 50% (up to £25) of your first day losses back as a free bet. If you are already a BetGoodwin customer then just a few of their horse racing free bets you can make use of include their hugely generous Free Bet Refunds. You can get your stake back as a free bet up to £100 if your selection finishes second by ½ a length or less or finishes second to a horse with an SP at 50/1 or greater.

Stable Talk

Patrick Mullins, Assistant Trainer at Energumene’s yard told Sporting Life

“Energumene came out of the Hilly Way great. Obviously the form got a nice boost [by Banbridge winning the King George]. He's obviously going to come on a lot for that, it was his first run in a long time. But the race fits nicely in his programme and all being well I'd imagine that's where he's going to turn up. He's 11 now and it's going to be hard, he's not in his prime and Jonbon is but we'll give it a go."

Jonbon trainer Nicky Henderson commented,

“This could be a big battle and it’s great for the game. Just like over Christmas, high-class horses taking on high-class horses. I hope it’s a race that people can look forward to, it should get pretty star billing. We’re looking forward to it and it’s all systems go. In the Tingle Creek the other day the crowd really got behind him, which is nice. He deserves it. He’s been playing at the top table for quite a while now, he used to be the young buck coming in.”

 Clarence House Chase Odds

(E/W: 1/4 1-2)

Clarence House Chase Winner BetMGM Odds
Jonbon8/13
Energumene5/2
Edwardstone9/1
Boothill14/1
Libberty Hunter16/1
Unexpected Party66/1
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