Clarence House hero Un De Sceaux ‘still wild’ in retirement

Nick Robson
January 14, 2024 11:57 am

Three-time winner is loving life back home in France.

No horse had a better record in the Clarence House Chase than Un De Sceaux, with Willie Mullins’ warrior winning the Ascot Grade One three times.

Known as a tearaway in his early days, he was eventually tamed by Ruby Walsh and, upon his retirement, then ridden just as masterfully by Paul Townend.

He arrived from France having won two AQPS bumpers in 2012 by an aggregate of 27 lengths and quickly became a fan favourite due to his front-running exploits.

By the time he retired due to injury in 2020, he had won 23 of his 34 races under rules, 10 at Grade One level – and he is now happily living his best life back in France, with plenty of zest still on display.

He was owned by the late Edward O’Connell, whose son Colm said: “We’re in contact quite a bit with the family who have him.

“He’s put on a lot of weight, like everyone who retires! But he’s in great condition – he’s got some constitution, there’s never anything wrong with him, he’s never sick and he’s a zero-maintenance type of a horse, he’s incredible.

Un De Sceaux with John O'Connell (left) and Jean de la Guillonnière at the Guillonnière farm in France — Un De Sceaux with John O’Connell (left) and Jean de la Guillonnière at the Guillonnière farm in France (Colm O’Connell)

“The last I heard, they had a filly that was in the field with him and she was quite headstrong as well. I think Un De Sceaux was trying to teach her his ways, as they were literally bolting around the field together, so when people ask has he calmed down, the answer is no!

“I said to myself ‘if he’s teaching her how to race, she could be very interesting in a couple of years’. He has his own routine and no matter who goes and sees him, he’s still wild.

“It’s a good retirement for him. Racing needs stories like his, there’s enough bad news in racing but for 99.9 per cent of the time, this is what happens when racing is over, and rightly so.

“For him to go back to where he was born and grew up, it’s a fairytale. My family have been over to see him and they absolutely love him over in France, I think they like the fact that they’ve got him back.”

While the growing trend these days seems to be for the biggest names in National Hunt racing to have as easy a time as possible before the spring festivals, that could never be levelled at Un De Sceaux.

Colm O'Connell (left of trophy) and his family celebrate after winning the 2017 Ryanair — Colm O’Connell (left of trophy) and his family celebrate after winning the 2017 Ryanair (Mike Egerton/PA)

So much so that O’Connell believes he could have added to his two Cheltenham wins in the Arkle and Ryanair had he not regularly taken in the Clarence House en route – but he would not have had it any other way.

“We loved our visits to Ascot – and to Sandown and Cheltenham as well, but especially Ascot, because it just seemed to suit him there,” said O’Connell.

“Ironically, though, his win in the Clarence House that impressed me most was 2017, when it was run at Cheltenham because of frost.

“That was because he travelled over to Ascot on the Thursday from Willie’s, he left Saturday night, arrived back Sunday morning and left for Cheltenham the following Wednesday; he ran, won, and then came home. If you’d done that yourself, you’d think it was a pain.

“I went to Cheltenham that day but I thought it would be very hard to win, given all his travelling, but it didn’t knock him a bit and he beat Alan King’s horse Uxizandre by five lengths.

“What I thought though, the two years he won the Clarence House at Ascot (20016 and 2018), he then got beaten at Cheltenham and I think that was because he gave absolutely everything at Ascot.

“The first time, Sprinter Sacre beat him on good ground, no disgrace in that, and then Balko Des Flos beat him the other year.

Un De Sceaux's jumping was one of his biggest assets — Un De Sceaux’s jumping was one of his biggest assets (PA Wire)

“He won three Clarence Houses and was second in another, his final ever race when Defi Du Seuil beat him, who was five years younger than him. He’d also beaten us in the Tingle Creek.

“I would have loved to have won four because I don’t think any horse will ever win four. No one might win three again, it takes an awful lot of work. I certainly don’t think another horse trained in Ireland will ever win three Clarence Houses again.

“Maybe Ascot will name a race after him, who knows. It would be fitting.”

As well as three Clarence Houses and his Cheltenham wins, he won Punchestown’s Champion Chase twice, a Tingle Creek and the Prix La Barka at Auteuil – and had the misfortune of straddling the eras of Sprinter Sacre and Altior.

“He was such a warrior, and when you think of the horses he came up against, it was a golden era. He raced against Sprinter Sacre, Altior, Sire De Grugy, Douvan, Min. Some very good two-milers,” said O’Connell.

“When Sprinter Sacre beat us in the Queen Mother (2016), we put it down to tactics – and going to Sandown afterwards, we thought we’d change it up a bit and were quietly confident, but we got it handed to us that day. He was a phenomenal horse, Sprinter Sacre.

“I remember in one of his Clarence House wins, he ran against Speredek, who must have been 20 lengths clear at one stage, but Paul Townend just sat and sat and gradually reeled him in. It was bad ground and he seemed to effortlessly plough through it.

“He went to Cheltenham after that and just wasn’t quite at his best, I think that Ascot race left a mark, but at that time of year, he was unbeatable.

“The Clarence House is such a great race. It takes some going to get up that hill from Swinley Bottom, and Ascot is such a great place. You have the Ascot factor.”

All eyes will again be on the Ascot race this weekend, and O’Connell will be a keen onlooker.

“This year’s race looks a cracker,” he said.

“We all know what Jonbon is, we just don’t know what El Fabiolo is. We’re still rating him on what he could be. I’d say it’s a genuine 50-50 call because Jonbon has come out and won an open Grade One already. I think I’d back whichever was the bigger price!”