Ascot betting tips
Saturday Ascot betting preview
The first event of Ascot’s 2025 racing calendar takes place this weekend, with the famed racecourse re-opening for the BetMGM Clarence House Chase Raceday on Saturday (live on ITV1 from 1.30pm).
This raceday is part of the Berkshire Winter Million Weekend in partnership with Windsor Racecourse, and it showcases some high-class jump racing.
The highlight of the day is the Grade 1 BetMGM Clarence House Chase at 3.32pm, as two contenders for Cheltenham’s Champion Chase face off in the first big contest of the year.
Betting sites have Jonbon as the favourite at 8/13 over Energumene (2/1) for that one, while Martator is the close favourite in the second biggest race of the day – the bet365 Handicap Chase (2.15pm).
BetMGM Clarence House Chase prediction: Jonbon to prove worthy of favourite tag
Horse racing betting sites have Jonbon as the ante-post favourite for the main race of the day, though it is clear that there’ll be a battle with Energumene, with the latter the winner of the Champion Chase last March.
These are two of the early favourites for the 2025 Champion Chase, and though Energumene returned from a lay-off of almost two years to win at Cork in December, Jonbon’s success in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown last month seemingly gives him a leg up on his rival.
The nine-year-old has won eight of his last ten races, and betting apps offer boosted odds of 4/6 for the win on Saturday.
Clarence House Chase Raceday prediction 1: Jonbon to win – 4/6 Bet365
Bet365 Handicap Chase prediction: Martator to continue unbeaten run at Ascot
The second most important race of the day is the Bet365 Handicap Chase (2.15pm), a two-and-a-half mile class two race that features favourite Martator (4/1) as well as Kotmask (9/2), Flegmatik (5/1) and Scarface (5/1).
In what is clearly a fairly evenly matched field, Martator stands out having won three from three at Ascot, including winning twice in November of last year. The most recent success was in the Lay & Wheeler Hurst Park Handicap Chase, where he triumphed over Kotmask.
Martator has dropped a class since coming third in the G2 Desert Orchid Handicap Chase at Kempton at the end of last month, and Ned Fox will be confident of a win with his 3lb claim.
Clarence House Chase Raceday prediction 2: Martator to win – 4/1 BoyleSports
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