2.20 Cheltenham: 'I respect the others enormously' - analysis and quotes for Jonbon's Shloer Chase return

The dearth of top-class two-mile chasers in Britain is underlined here as only four line up, with just three of them appearing to hold any chance of winning, and Jonbon a hot favourite.

Jonbon will face Edwardstone for the fourth time over fences and the score is 3-0 to Nicky Henderson's star, including an easy win over his old rival in this race last year, and it looks like it should be a formality. However, Edwardstone can be a fearsome rival when he turns up on his A game.

He had me convinced he could beat El Fabiolo in last season's Champion Chase here, following a 40-length demolition job in the Game Spirit at Newbury in February. He set a frantic pace in front that day at Newbury and had his rivals beaten miles out.

Edwardstone attempted the same tactics in the Champion Chase, attacking his race from the front and putting his rivals under pressure from an early stage. That was enough to break El Fabiolo, whose jumping went to pieces at that pace, but Edwardstone wasn’t able to cash in.

He had done his running and looked beaten in second when falling two out, with the breakneck speed only helping to set the race up for surprise winner Captain Guinness.

Edwardstone didn't repeat those tactics when beaten by Jonbon, who made all, in the Celebration Chase at Sandown in April, so it will be interesting to see how he is ridden.

In the unlikely event that Jonbon and Edwardstone do battle up front then Boothill could be the Captain Guinness this time. He is usually ridden quietly from the back, but does need the race to fall apart. The same applies to Unexpected Party, who looks outclassed.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

Seven-time Grade 1 winner back in action

The weather may be very different this time but otherwise the story looks pretty much identical.

Last year Jonbon came here with memories of scintillating springtime successes at Aintree and Sandown fresh in the memory, went off red-hot favourite and made a winning start to the autumn.

Twelve months on, he arrives on the back of stylish victories in the Melling Chase at the Grand National meeting and the Celebration Chase — for the second year in a row — on the final day of the season.

Those triumphs mean he is now a seven-time Grade 1 winner and he meets one rival at level weights and gives the other just 2lb so he could well start even shorter than the 4-9 he went off at last year.

But he was beaten at 1-4 here last January, when he nearly fell at the fourth-last fence, and last year's Shloer is the only Cheltenham race Jonbon has won in four visits, albeit he was taking on superstars each time in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and then the Arkle Chase.

Trainer Nicky Henderson is looking forward to getting him started again and said: "He's in very good form and he's exactly the same weight as he was this day last year. It's the start of his season but he's had gallops and he's schooled and he's very fresh. I think he'll love the ground, he's moving beautifully, but I respect the others enormously."

Edwardstone bids to defy advancing years

This is not a race for old chasers. The only horse aged ten or over to come out on top was Well Chief in the first running in 2009 and only two of the 11 who have tried in the last ten years even reached a place.

But ten-year-old Edwardstone came later in life to fences than many and is reported in excellent shape for his bid to improve on last season's second.

Edwardstone won the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury last seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"His preparation has gone well," said trainer Alan King. "He hasn't missed a beat all autumn. He'll be 11 in January but looks magnificent, still has all his old enthusiasm and is working to the same level as he's always done.

"He had another fine season in 2023-24, winning the Game Spirit at Newbury, and if he runs well I hope we'll be looking at the Tingle Creek again."

What they say

Harry Fry, trainer of Boothill
Strictly on ratings we've got a little bit to find with Jonbon and Edwardstone but he didn't finish too far behind them in the Celebration Chase. He gets 2lb and we'll see whether that's enough. He won two good prizes at Ascot this time last year and seems in really good form. We've recauterised his palate and hope that will help him.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Unexpected Party
He ran only on Monday but he didn't have a particularly hard race, there are just four runners and it's worth a good few quid. He likes Cheltenham and we're happy to take our chance.
Reporting by David Carr

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