Sunday 14 January 2018 16:53, UK
All appears in place for Un De Sceaux to attempt to become the first three-time winner of the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday.
Willie Mullins' 10-year-old was a popular winner of the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last March but drops back to just over two miles for the Grade One he has won twice before.
Un De Sceaux has only been seen once this campaign to date, when making a winning reappearance in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork on ground so heavy the meeting was called off not long after his race.
Part-owner Colm O'Connell told Press Association Sport: "Everything has gone to plan. He's got just a small piece of work on Tuesday or Wednesday and that will be it - he usually travels over on the Thursday.
"There might be a bit of rain on Tuesday and some more on Saturday, which would be welcome.
"If the ground is soft, our lad goes such a pace the others can't cope. I've always said the perfect ground for Un De Sceaux is just the right side of raceable.
"The last week is always a worry. If anything happens now, a stone bruise or something, you haven't time to recover.
"The first step is getting him on the boat."
