Un De Sceaux and Ruby Walsh winning the Clarence House Chase © Photo Healy Racing
Un De Sceaux made all under Ruby Walsh for an emphatic success in the Sodexo Clarence House Chase at Ascot.
Willie Mullins' bold-jumping eight-year-old had former Champion Chase hero Sire De Grugy tracking him for much of the journey, as he looked to bounce back from a fall at Leopardstown over Christmas.
Five out it looked like Sire De Grugy might have the answer but while the 1-2 favourite briefly had to hit top gear between the last two fences, his jumping over the final couple of obstacles was immaculate and five lengths was the winning margin.
Sire De Grugy just held on for second from stablemate Traffic Fluide, who ran a huge race.
Asked if the winner is as good as any two-miler he has ridden, Walsh said: "I don't know, he has to win a Champion Chase before I can say that.
"I was lucky enough to ride Master Minded and Azertyuiop and rode against Moscow Flyer, so I've ridden some great horses, but he has all the attributes - he stays really well and has a good turn of foot.
"He was definitely looking (at his fences) a bit more today than he did at Leopardstown, which is probably no harm. A good round of jumping like that will give him confidence.
"Today was important, with such a good horse you want to be winning these big races and with it going wrong in Leopardstown it is great to come and do that."
Mullins said: "He jumped much better today, he seemed to measure all his fences. I'm hoping he'll improve a lot from that.
"He's full-on every day, like he is racing, but he appeared more settled today than I've ever seen him."
He added: "I think I'd rather watch him if he was someone else's. When they're your own and you have so much invested in them and they are jumping flat out, it makes your heart jump every time." Gary Moore said of Sire De Grugy: " Obviously he's not good enough to beat Un De Sceaux, the winner had run the finish out of him and just took the edge out of what he normally finds. The winner is obviously a very good horse.
"I thought I had him at his best, I guess we'll give the Champion Chase a go. He's beaten Vibrato Valtat the same distance he has beaten him in every run, so he has held his form. He's just not improving, but I don't expect him to at the age of 10."
Moore was thrilled with the novice Traffic Fluide, saying: "I'm very pleased with Traffic Fluide and he will go for the Game Spirit now."
