Jonbon © Photo Healy Racing
Jonbon knuckled down when it mattered to claim a neat success and retain his title in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham.
Nicky Henderson’s 1-3 favourite was returning to action after signing out on a high last term, following a season in which he was beaten only once in five runs.
Twelve months ago, he started his campaign with a nine-and-a-half-length victory in this race, so naturally he was at cramped odds under Nico de Boinville with only three rivals to beat.
He made the running and enjoyed a smooth passage around Prestbury Park ahead of an ultimately assured victory from Harry Fry’s Boothill, who did seem a touch short of room on the rail as both he and Edwardstone ensured Jonbon knew he had been in a race.
“I think his jumping was as good as I’ve ever seen, which is great,” said Henderson.
“He looks to have really enjoyed himself, I suspect he’ll tell me (De Boinville) that he had a good blow between the last two, I’d expect him to.
“We’ve got a few weeks to the Tingle Creek and that would be the perfect prep, I’d say, but it’s not a prep, it’s a race we want to win!
“That was ideal. I thought he looked awfully big in the pre-parade ring but it’s funny when you see them here and you’re used to looking at them at home.
“That was great, it’s a job done. It’s just a lovely race for him and it takes us on to where we’re trying to go.
“You won’t see a better round of jumping, he could make the odd mistake but he was foot-perfect there.
“You could go short, you could go long. If you asked him a question, you got the answer, that was really good.”
On future plans and the decision to stick at two miles, Henderson added: “Like a lot of these horses, as they get older, they’re almost certain to get a bit further. He did at Aintree, that was two and a half miles, that was no problem.
“Of course, he’ll get further but we said at the start of the season, we are a two-miler and we’ll stay at two miles.
“You’ve got to be positive about where you’re going to go, we haven’t made any other entries for him. It will be the Tingle Creek, all being well, then the Clarence House and the normal route I suspect. I’d be surprised if we vary it.”
Winning owner JP McManus added: “I’m pleased he won. What can I say, I’m just delighted with him.
“He jumped well and it’s only his first run of the season, I just felt he was keeping a bit for himself, he just does enough now. They last longer if they do that.
“For me, I would always stay at two miles until they tell me they need further, fingers crossed.
“He’s calmer, he’s like the rest of us, getting older!”
Boothill also has the Tingle Creek in his sights after a pleasing run, with Fry saying: “We came here and I said to Bryan (Carver) ‘just see how we are turning in’.
“He won the handicap at Ascot next Saturday for the last two runnings but I think we can safely say we won’t be going there now.
“He’s run a great race, one horse has beaten us but he deserves to go and take his chance in all the good Grade One chases.
“We were beaten a length and a half, I’m sure the first and third will come on as well.
“Another race, another day, we look forward to the rematch. He’s a wonderful horse and he’s given us some lovely days, we can look forward to running in the top two-mile chases.”
King was also pleased with his runner’s effort and he too has the Tingle Creek in mind for Edwardstone’s next outing.
“As he gets older, it’s a little bit harder to get the weight off him, I think he’s run a grand race,” the trainer said.
“We’ve left a bit of work on him and no doubt Nicky’s was the same, I would have thought we’d go and take him on in the Tingle Creek.
“It’s probably pointless because it’s 4-0 I think, but there’s a lot of money at stake.
“I’m very satisfied, Boothill was getting a couple of pounds and he wasn’t far behind us on level weights at Sandown. I think he’s run his race.”
