Clonmel Oil Chase: runner-by-runner guide and predicted finishing order

Willie Mullins has landed eight of the past 11 editions of the €60,000 Clonmel Oil Chase and will attempt to keep his grip on the Grade Two feature on Thursday.

Champagne Fever (2014), Kemboy (2018), Douvan (2019), and Allaho (2023) have been among his previous victors. His representative this time, Saint Sam, is not in their league, but he might not have to be.

Here’s a guide to the six runners, with odds courtest of William Hill, the only firm to have priced up the race early.

Watch what happens live on Racing TV. 

Official Rating: 157. Odds: 9-4 

This zestful front-runner can be his own worst enemy and has got a 5lb penalty to shoulder, but he arrives on the back of successive hurdle wins at Listowel and Auteuil and will not lack for fitness. That latest win was gained at the expense of a useful rival in Gallipoli. 

It's not difficult to imagine him quickly opening up an early advantage, as he did when making all in the Red Mills Chase last season, and the combination of this track/decent ground should play to his strengths. Provided he does not overdo things and keeps errors to a minimum, then he is likely to take some pegging back. 

Official Rating: 150. Odds: 11-1. 

He was a useful novice the season before last, with his efforts behind such as Gerri Columbe and The Real Whacker measuring up well. However, he ran poorly in each of his four races last season and has been switched to the yard of Thomas Gibney from Willie Mullins. 

Even if revived by eight months off and a new yard, this trip on a sound surface is likely to be sharp enough for him. 

Official Rating: 156. Odds: 2-1 fav. 

He’s got three Grade One victories on his CV and was a runaway 15-length winner of this race in 2021, but his fortunes have dipped and it’s getting for two years since he was a fortunate winner of the Kinloch Brae at Thurles two years ago. 

We have only seen him in action three times in the past year and he’s disappointed to various extents in hot handicaps, including when failing to make an impact in the Kerry National last time. 

On the plus side, he’s favoured by the conditions of this race and it could be that he enjoys getting back into a small-field graded event. 

Official Rating: 149. Odds: 11-2. 

This grey has some smart form to his name and consequently changed hands for 620,000gns at the Andy and Gemma Brown dispersal sale in February of this year. 

The Browns have had little reason to regret that sale as Fil Dor has disappointed in his three subsequent races, earning his new connections just €9,000. 

Aged only 6, there’s still time for Fil Dor to prove his worth, although he’s clearly got something to prove on his first start for six months and his best efforts have been at up to 2m. 

Official Rating: 154. Odds: 3-1. 

He’s already had a lucrative time this autumn, scooping a handicap chase at Listowel, off a mark of 148 humping 12st 6lb, before landing a three-runner hurdle contest at Sligo. 

Solness got the rub of the green on each occasion, but unlike several of these he’s at least shown his wellbeing. And the Listowel form has been given a boost, with the runner-up, The Banger Doyle, subsequently going one better. 

Perhaps the biggest niggle is this trip. Solness does have winning form at up to 2m4f, but that came against two other finishers in a steadily-run contest. His best form has been at around 2m. 

Official Rating: 102. Odds: 150-1. 

This ten-year-old mare is a member of the club that has won on the Flat, over hurdles and over fences, but she is thoroughly exposed and has got a stack on her plate in this company. 

I imagine her connections have sniffed the prospect of the race cutting up and her possibly picking up some blacktype. Expect her to dawdle around in rear in the hope some crums fall off the top table. 

All of these have chinks but races involving SUPER SAM rarely lack for excitement and he will take some catching if getting in a decent early rhythm. 

1 SUPER SAM 2 SOLNESS 3 FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES 4 FIL DOR 5 BRONN 6 INFLUENTIAL LADY