Clonmel Oil Chase: Runner-by-runner Guide Clonmel’s most important fixture of the season takes place on Thursday and the highlight of the calendar is the €60,000 Clonmel Oil Chase. This Grade 2 event has been won by some excellent horses over the years, including Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition and the great Beef Or Salmon. Only four runners have been declared for this year’s renewal and the favourite looks very strong. Here we assess the chances of all the participants with Willie Mullins bidding to win the race for the fourth year in a row and the eighth time in the last decade. 1. Il Etait Temps (T: Willie Mullins J: Paul Townend) Seven-year-old Il Etait Temps was an excellent novice chaser two seasons ago and managed to win three Grade 1s that season. He dominated Britain’s best 2m4f novices in the Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree, before winning over two miles at Punchestown. It’s a real shame that we didn’t get to see much of him last season but Mullins produced a terrific training performance to prepare him perfectly for Sandown’s Celebration Chase. Jonbon was the big favourite there but he had no answer to Il Etait Temps. Clearly adaptable with regards to trip, this is a good starting point for the season and he looks well set to make a winning return to action. 2. Senecia (T: Vincent Halley J: Phillip Enright) Someone has to be the outsider in this four-runner field and Senecia has that honour. Consistency is an issue for this horse but he has some talent and is useful when he puts it all together. His finest hour came in the Grade 2 Webster Cup at Navan in March when he managed to get the better of very warm favourite El Fabiolo. It’s interesting to note that Gentleman De Mee was back in fourth that day so he has it in him to run a big race. That being said, this probably isn’t the easiest of contests to start in and the handicapper believes he has plenty to find with the favourite. 3. Gentleman De Mee (T: Willie Mullins J: Mark Walsh) Gentleman De Mee looked like a potential Champion Chase candidate as a novice chaser, after comfortably beating Arkle winner Edwardstone in the Maghull at Aintree back in 2022. He then managed to win the Dublin Chase at Leopardstown the following season. Things didn’t quite go to plan after that, however, and his form tailed off. Willie Mullins’ gelding roared back to form when winning the very valuable Topham Chase over the National fences at Aintree in the spring, despite the fact that he didn’t jump with much fluency. If back to his very best, the JP McManus-owned gelding is right up there with the favourite but his stablemate appears to be a much safer bet. 4. Intense Raffles (T: Thomas Gibney J: JJ Slevin) Thomas Gibney’s Intense Raffles is a talented horse but you would imagine the 2m5f trip would be plenty short enough for the seven-year-old. He won the Irish Grand National back in 2024 and he was still a novice at the time. The son of Martaline also ran a huge race to finish second behind Grand National winner Nick Rockett in the Grade 3 Bobbyjo Chase last season. Softer ground would increase his chances but he looks a little vulnerable and there will be other days for him.
