Politologue
[2] Politologue's dam Scarlet Row, showed high class form in steeplechases in France, winning at least six races and running second in the Prix Maurice Gillois.
[4] Politologue began his racing career in a hurdle over 3400 metres on very soft ground at Compiegne on 20 May 2015 and finished second, beaten one and three quarter lengths by the winner Ami Sol.
On his first run for his new connections he contested a Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham Racecourse on 11 December in which he appeared to be going well before jinking to the right approaching the last flight and unseating his rider, Sam Twiston-Davies (who became his regular jockey).
Later that month he was moved up in class for the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury Racecourse and finished second to the odds-on favourite Barters Hill.
[6] On his first appearance at the Cheltenham Festival Politologue was matched against more experienced opponents in the Coral Cup and made little impact, coming home twentieth of the twenty-three finishers after tiring badly in the closing stages.
In the 2016/17 season Politologue was campaigned in Novice chases and made a successful debut over the larger obstacles when he came home ten lengths clear of his rivals at Haydock Park on 18 November.
"[9] In the Altcar Novices' Chase at Haydock in January Politologue started favourite but was beaten into second place by Waiting Patiently after being overtaken approaching the final fence.
Three weeks after his defeat at Haydock he was dropped in class for a minor event at Kempton Park Racecourse and won easily from his only opponent, Pain Au Chocolat, at odds of 1/8.
[10] In March the gelding ran for the second time in the Cheltenham Festival and finished fourth to Yorkhill in the Golden Miller Novices' Chase, beaten ten lengths by the winner.
"[16] At Newbury on 10 February Politologue was matched against the undefeated Altior in the Game Spirit Chase and sustained a defeat for the time that season as he finished second, beaten four lengths by his rival after leading until the last fence.
On his third appearance at the Cheltenham Festival he started at odds of 12/1 for the Champion Chase and finished fourth behind Altior, Min and God's Own after fading badly in the closing stages.
Racing over a distance of two miles, five furlongs on good to soft ground he gained the advantage at the third last fence and was "driven out" by Twiston-Davies to win by half a length from Charbel.
"[20] On 26 December Politologue was stepped up in distance again for the King George VI Chase over three miles at Kempton in which he started at odds of 5/1 but never looked likely to win and came home fourth behind Clan des Obeaux, Thistlecrack and Native River.
[21] At Aintree in April he attempted to repeat his 2018 success in the Melling Chase but proved no match for his old rival Min and was beaten twenty lengths into second place.
On 17 November 2019, Politologue returned to the track for the Grade 2 Shloer Chase in which he led for most of the way before being overtaken on the run-in and beaten into second place by the six-year-old favourite Defi du Seuil.
In December he attempted to win the Tingle Creek Chase for the second time but was never in serious contention and came home fifth of the eight finishers behind Defi du Seuil, beaten eighteen lengths by the winner.
"[28] On his next appearance Politologue started favourite for the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January, but after leading in the early stages he was overtaken at half way and beaten seven lengths into second place by the outsider First Flow.
Nicholls' assistant trainer Harry Derham said "It was a proper race and there were no excuses... Politologue is a wonderfully honest horse and always tries his best and always stays on really well, but he wasn't quite good enough on the day.
[31] On his final racecourse appearance he was beaten 25 length into fourth place by Energumene in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, having started as the outsider of seven runners at odds of 80/1.
