Could Jonbon be a threat to old rival El Fabiolo after dominating Shloer Chase win at Cheltenham?

Jonny Bairstow knows where it’s at. As Australia cruised to victory in the Cricket World Cup Final in India, England’s flame-haired wicketkeeper-batsman was taking photos of the victorious Jonbon as the odds-on favourite strode into the winners’ enclosure at a cold and breezy Cheltenham on Sunday.

Nicky Henderson’s horse had just justified odds of 4/9 in the Grade 2 Shloer Chase in almost surprisingly serene style, surprisingly only because you tend to expect the unexpected at this of all racecourses. It was third time lucky for Jonbon, who on his two previous visits to this track had bumped into Constitution Hill and El Fabiolo, two horses expected to light up this same venue when the Festival rolls into town in March.

Indeed, such was El Fabiolo’s dominance in the Sporting Life Arkle last spring, it was expected that Jonbon might go up in trip in order to avoid another significant defeat from Willie Mullins’ horse. But this is horse racing, the athletes can mature at different rates, and the 2023-24 model of Jonbon has started his campaign on very much the right track and shaping every inch, at this stage, like a two-miler.

Beforehand Henderson looked nervous, but then again he always does. Afterwards he was happy, mischievous and still unsure himself over what trip Jonbon will really want in the long-term.

Complete with trademark trilby and watery eyes, Henderson said: “This is where I should be thanking Joe and George and Tom! Don’t worry - I love Aidan - I’m not taking the piss,” before explaining at length the dilemma he has had when it comes to Jonbon and his optimum distance.

“At the back end of last season after the Arkle we were dying to try two and a half miles, but the two mile novices’ race at Aintree was much the easier, so we stayed at two miles. Then 13 days later he went to Sandown to take on the older boys to find out if he was a two miler against the second, third and fourth in the Champion Chase and he didn’t wait for them. He looks like a two-miler there, and he has got to stay there for now because of the Tingle Creek. There is the conundrum as to how far he will get, as I’m convinced he will get further, but you don’t need to.”

Jonbon could easily go up in distance in time, but there is no doubt, at this stage, that he looks a two-miler through and through. To go up in trip would be to dodge one horse and, who knows, perhaps he can close the gap on El Fabiolo?

He certainly looks to have matured. Henderson is pleased with his progression, both physically and mentally, explaining away days at Windsor and Newbury got him in the right frame of mind for the Shloer.

There is, however, still an element of the unpredictable about him. Beforehand he was fresh and on his toes. He idled up the hill with the race in the bag and then he danced away from a bucket of water when the flashbulbs were going off around him afterwards, but he was as nimble with his Shloer sheet on as he was during the race.

He had to be quick-footed at one or two obstacles, getting in close, but to criticise his jumping technique after this would be nitpicking. In the main he jumped very well, but the striking characteristic with Jonbon is his zest and the way he travels. On his day he just looks like he could get the most talented of horses in trouble, such is his cruising speed.

After all, the Shloer opposition were no mugs. Nube Negra was going for a hat-trick in the race and he looked as fit as a flea. He was beaten 16 lengths. Edwardstone is an Arkle winner and he ran very well in second – but he was beaten nine and a half lengths and that flattered him. Only Editeur Du Gite really let the race down, his Clarence House Chase win at this track in January a distant memory as he struggled in the rear.

But the depth of this contest is not up for debate and the Shloer has a history of producing Cheltenham Festival winners; both Sprinter Sacre and Put The Kettle On have done the Shloer – Champion Chase double in recent seasons, while McManus’ own Uxizandre doubled up in the Ryanair after winning this race four months previously.

Bookmaker reaction was swift and the 6/1 generally available about Jonbon for the Champion Chase beforehand is now at least half those odds and as short as 9/4 in a place. To underline the impression he made over the minimum trip his Ryanair odds – a best of 7/1 beforehand – are now out to as big as 10s.

“I really enjoyed myself and I hope he did too,” said Nico De Boinville upon coming in, the jockey riding Jonbon for only the second time, two and a half years on from when he partnered him to victory in a Newbury bumper in the March of 2021.

It was a good meeting for De Boinville, who followed up Jonbon’s win by landing the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle on Henderson and McManus’ Iberico Lord in the very next race, taking his stats to the meeting to three wins from eight rides, a fine return.

But the final day of the November Meeting was all about Jonbon. Bigger challenges await at this venue over two miles later in the season, a rematch with El Fabiolo in the Champion Chase already a more mouth-watering prospect than it was this morning after the slightly mercurial, but highly talented seven-year-old, smashed his Shloer rivals for six.

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