When Is The Celebration Chase 2021?
The 2021 Celebration Chase takes place at 15.05 on Saturday 24 April at Sandown Park Racecourse. It is the third race on an excellent day of jumps racing that also features the B3t365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase.
Celebration Chase History
The Celebration Chase was created in 2005 when it was a Grade 2 chase. In 2014, it was received Grade 1 status, due to the quality of runners that it frequently attracted. Interestingly, the seven winners between 2013 and 2019, including Sire Du Grugy, Special Tiara, Sprinter Sacre, and Altior, all won the Champion Chase during their careers.
Celebration Chase 10-year-Trends 2021
With such high-quality winners in recent times, it’s hardly surprising the odds of those ranged from just 1/6 (1.16) to 9/2 (5.50).
Five 8-year-olds have been successful in the last decade, with one 6-year-old, two 7-year-olds, one 9-year-old, and one 10-year-old also winning. Winners have run between two and six times in the season before their victory, with seven of them winning their last outing.
Six days is the shortest gap between races that any horse has won off, while 49 days is the longest absence from the track of any of the last ten winners.
Nicky Henderson has trained five of the last ten winners, with Nico De Boinville riding the last four winners. Only one Irish-trained horse has been successful, which was trained Henry de Bromhead.
Celebration Chase Runners 2021
Altior
The role of honour for the Celebration Chase shows Nicky Henderson’s dual Champion Chaser has won the last three editions of this Grade 1 race. Indeed, Altior has won all five of his previous runs at Sandown, all of which were Grade 1s. However, he is bidding to become the oldest winner of the race at the age of 11, and his most recent form suggested he’s not as good as he was. But he’ll love the ground and his trainer was making bullish noises before Altior was forced to miss the Cheltenham Festival. He’s also back on faster ground, which he loves, and he won’t need to be at his best to beat this year’s field. First-time cheek-pieces could also aid his cause.
Dolos
This Paul Nicholls-trained 8-year-old is rated 11lb lower than Altior, but he has won two and placed in three more of his six course and distance starts. However, the form of his four runs this season suggests he won’t be winning.
Greanateen
A 7-year-old who is a second runner for Paul Nicholls and he’s been progressive since winning the Haldon Gold Cup Handicap. He’s since finished second in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase over course and distance and was last seen finishing just 2-lengths behind the re-opposing Put The Kettle in the Champion Chase. Needs to take another step forward and the quicker ground is not an obvious benefit.
Nuts Well
Admirable 10-year-old that has looked better than ever this season, despite his advancing years. He started the season with a win over 17-furlongs but has looked even better over distances of around 2½ miles, including when runner-up in the Marsh Chase at the Grand National Meeting, when he had plenty of higher-rated horses behind him.
Ornua
One of two runners from Ireland this year, both trained by Henry de Bromhead. This 10-year-old is ridden by jockey-of-the-season Rachael Blackmore, but she’ll have to produce a wonder ride if she’s to get this 146-rated across the winning line in front against much higher-rated rivals.
Sceau Royal
An experienced 9-year-old that has seen the backend of Altior on plenty of occasions. But he’s had a great season so far, with wins over hurdles and fences, and he’s a Grade 1 chase winner over course and distance. Having often been bogged down by soft ground, he was unlucky to fall in a race in which Altior finished second at Christmas, while he may have gone very close in the Champions Chase had he not been hampered at a crucial stage.
Put The Kettle On
The second of the Henry de Bromhead winners but this year’s Champion Chase winner is the stable’s number one, as Aidan Coleman keeps the ride rather than Rachael Blackmore opting to ride the stable’s Ornua. She’s won seven of her nine chases, and she’s proven ideally suited by Cheltenham so far, where she’s won four from four. There’s no reason why Sandown won’t suit her, but she hasn’t been as good away from her beloved Cheltenham. Her 7lb allowance is always a big plus.
Who Will Win The Celebration Chase 2021?
Paul Nicholls has won several editions of the Celebration Chase with horses that weren’t out of the top drawer of the equine talent at his disposal, but Greanateen and Dolos will both need personal bests by some way if they’re to add another victory to their trainer’s C.V.
Nuts Well is a real credit to his small trainer but his best form has come over longer distances on flat left-handed tracks, and he may find everything happening too fast on this right-handed undulating track over a shorter-than-ideal trip.
It’s hard to make a case for Ornua, but he likes to blast off in front and should at least ensure there’s some early pace if none of the others want to adopt front-running tactics. That should suit his stablemate Put The Kettle On, who has a similar profile to many recent winners of this race, having won this year’s Champion Chase. But she’s not as highly rated as those winners.
Altior would win if returning to anywhere near his best, and it will be interesting to see if the money comes for him, but plenty of stats are against him.
That means the vote goes to Sceau Royal, who may have won the Champion Chase without interference, and the faster the ground the better his chances.
Celebration Chase Free Tip 2021
Sceau Royal
