Clarence House Chase winner Jonbon's new Timeform rating of 178 (from 172) places him in a similar bracket to two of Nicky Henderson's other star two-milers, Shishkin (181) and Altior (180).
Shishkin earned his rating when also beating Energumene in the Clarence House Chase the last time it was run at Ascot in 2022, and he is the only winner who put up a better performance than Jonbon in the race since it was awarded Grade 1 status in 2008.
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A rating of 178 places Jonbon just outside the top ten two-mile chasers seen so far this century - on a list that includes his brother Douvan and is headed by Henderson's Sprinter Sacre (192) - and he is understandably a strong favourite for the Champion Chase, rated 11 lb higher than second favourite Gaelic Warrior (167).
Jonbon is seeking a first Cheltenham Festival success but has won 17 of his 20 starts under Rules and is already rated higher than two of Henderson's Champion Chase winners, Remittance Man (173) and Finian's Rainbow (174).
Dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin des Champs is the only horse in training rated higher than Jonbon and there is just 1 lb between them.
Timeform chase handicapper Phil Turner said: "Patrick Mullins is on record saying that Douvan is the best horse his father has ever trained but that he couldn't be viewed as a 'great horse' due to his career being curtailed by soundness issues. Happily, his full-brother Jonbon has proved notably durable to date during a very productive career.
"A record of 17 wins and three seconds from 20 starts under Rules certainly has all the hallmarks of a 'great horse', whilst Saturday's win in the Clarence House Chase represented a career-best effort from a top-notch performer enjoying his peak years. Admittedly, Energumene's peak years are probably just behind him now, but both comeback runs this winter show that he's still capable of running to a very high level, so the fact that Jonbon could dispose of him so convincingly clearly reads very well, particularly as his performance was backed up by a solid showing on the stopwatch.
"Alas, Douvan's career at the top was effectively over at the age of seven after losing his unbeaten record over fences when injuring himself in the 2017 Queen Mother Champion Chase and he was restricted to just three more runs before early retirement. Jonbon also has unfinished business in that race after an eleventh-hour withdrawal from last year's renewal. Hopefully he'll be able to right that wrong this time around and add the one thing missing from his stellar CV - namely a Cheltenham Festival win."
Nicky Henderson's highest-rated two-mile chasers
- 192 Sprinter Sacre
- 181 Shishkin
- 180 Altior
- 178 Jonbon
- 174 Finian's Rainbow
- 173 Remittance Man
Top two-mile chasers this century (based on peak end-of-season rating)
- 192 Sprinter Sacre
- 184 Moscow Flyer
- 182 Azertyuiop
- 182 Douvan
- 182 Well Chief
- 181 Shishkin
- 180 Altior
- 180 Energumene
- 179 Chacun Pour Soi
- 179 Master Minded
- 178 Jonbon
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