Jonbon to face three rivals in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham on Friday - while exciting Showcase meeting winners to clash on undercard

Jonbon adds star quality to the first day of Cheltenham's November on Friday after featuring in a small but select field for the Shloer Chase (2.20).

The seven-time Grade 1 winner faces three rivals in Edwardstone, Boothill and Unexpected Party and with the three highest-rated runners standing their ground, it promises to be a fascinating contest.

Earlier this week, trainer Nicky Henderson said he was ready to unleash Jonbon in the Grade 2 over two miles, which has been brought forward two days to take a more prominent position at the three-day fixture.

Jonbon, a general 3-1 favourite for the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase in March, won four of his five starts last season, including the Shloer Chase.

He missed the Cheltenham Festival, though, after Henderson withdrew a number of his runners during the meeting due to concerns about the wellbeing of his team.

Last year's runner-up Edwardstone, winner of the Arkle and Tingle Creek in 2022, also makes his seasonal return, having finished third behind Jonbon in the Celebration Chase at Sandown in April on his last start.

Boothill, a place further back in fourth at Sandown, won his first two starts of last season, both at Ascot, and will be ridden by Bryan Carver for the first time.

Last season's Grand Annual winner Unexpected Party, who finished second in a graduation chase at Carlisle on Monday, completes the line-up.

In the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (3.30), exciting prospects Valgrand and Potters Charm go head to head in a six-strong field.

The pair both won impressively at the track last month and are looking to extend their winning sequences to four in a race also featuring Gale Mahler, Grandad's Cap, Wildfell and Rockstown Girl.

Valgrand had Gale Mahler 17 lengths in arrears when making all in a Grade 2 at the Showcase meeting. Meanwhile, Potters Charm won with authority later on the card leaving his assistant trainer Willy Twiston-Davies to say: "We haven't had one like this for a while."

Dual Grade 1 Chase winner Conflated makes his cross-country debut against eight rivals in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (2.55) for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud, while Springwell Bay, Hyland, Buddy One and Resplendent Grey have been declared for the Listed novice chase (1.45) over 3m½f.   

Shloer Chase runners and riders

Edwardstone Tom Cannon
Jonbon Nico de Boinville
Boothill Bryan Carver
Unexpected Party Harry Skelton

Shloer ChaseCoral: 2-5 Jonbon, 7-2 Edwardstone, 9 Boothill, 20 Unexpected Party

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