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Un De Sceaux will face five rivals when he bids for back-to-back victories in the Berkshire Community Foundation Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday.
The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old was a red-hot favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival off the back of a superb victory in this Grade One contest 12 months ago, but proved no match for a resurgent Sprinter Sacre at Prestbury Park nor in the Celebration Chase at Sandown.
But with Sprinter Sacre retired, Un De Sceaux made a successful start to the current campaign in the Tingle Creek at Sandown in early December and he is odds-on to follow up.
Gary Moore's Ar Mad renews rivalry from Sandown.
Having been sidelined by injury since last February, the seven-year-old ran a tremendous race from the front in the Tingle Creek before fading into fourth place.
Dodging Bullets won the Tingle Creek, this race and the Champion Chase two seasons ago.
The nine-year-old has not been in the same form since, but is given the chance to regain his Clarence House crown by Paul Nicholls.
The Philip Hobbs-trained Royal Regatta, Kerry Lee's Top Gamble and Eastlake from Jonjo O'Neill's stable complete the field.
Special Tiara and Sire De Grugy were the two withdrawals from the five-day confirmation stage.
Officials at Ascot are "likely" to call an inspection for Saturday morning.
A statement from clerk of the course Chris Stickels on the Ascot website read: "The current going is soft, frozen in places.
"Following temperatures of minus 4.5°C on Wednesday morning and minus 4°C this morning; the course is frozen in places. Landings and take-offs and part of the shadowed area on the straight were covered on Tuesday. There is frost and small areas of frozen ground however under the covers.
"Temperatures have dropped lower than were forecast overnight, we expect most of the frost to come out today and we will be covering the whole course this afternoon (Thursday).
"The forecast has changed again to indicate temperatures to be below freezing for the next two mornings. Given this current forecast; it is likely that we will be holding an inspection, to decide if racing can go ahead, on Saturday morning."