'You wouldn't see anything better' - Jonbon impresses in schooling before Tingle Creek bid

Overrated, overhyped, underpriced. These are just some of the jibes to have been aimed at Jonbon by commentators throughout his career, but any remaining doubters were silenced by a coming-of-age performance from this top-tier chaser in the Shloer Chase last month.

Jonbon put a high-class field of 160+ performers to the sword with a thoroughly impressive victory, alleviating any suspicions Cheltenham may not be his track.

What the Shloer also taught us, if some analysts were still unconvinced when he dealt with two-mile chasing's best Grade 1 benchmark Captain Guinness in last season's Celebration Chase at Sandown, is that Jonbon is edging closer to Douvan territory.

Comparisons between the two are natural. Jonbon's brother ranks highly among the best two-mile chasers we have seen over the past decade and, on Racing Post Ratings, Jonbon's figure of 172 in the Shloer would equate to the fourth-best performance of Douvan's career.

Wide-margin successes in the Paddy Power Cashcard Chase, Hilly Way and Maghull – RPRs of 178 (twice) and 176 – are the performances which separate Douvan from his star-of-the-moment younger sibling.

Perhaps Jonbon winning Saturday's Tingle Creek in workmanlike fashion will not be enough to satisfy the masses. Escaping the Douvan shadow and potentially even putting the Willie Mullins-trained great in the shade are the tasks now facing Jonbon before the ultimate acid test awaits when he and El Fabiolo inevitably cross paths again. Last season's Arkle Chase winner is surely the only two-miler with the capacity to lay a glove on Jonbon.

Admittedly, the Edwardstone we saw in 2022 would have a squeak. He was imperious when readily accounting for Sandown supremo Greaneteen in last season's Tingle Creek, although trainer Alan King is seemingly in two minds about his long-term campaigning. Edwardstone is bred to stay much further than two miles, adding logic to an upcoming entry in the King George.

Haddex Des Obeaux: a talented front-runner trained by Gary MooreCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

From a tactical perspective, Jonbon sometimes makes the running. Whether that occurs this time with Haddex Des Obeaux in the line-up is another matter.

This improving, bold-jumping six-year-old might have left a big handicap behind him when crashing out at the last at Cheltenham’s Showcase meeting, but is not expected to be out of place in this company. That is, providing first-time rider Jack Tudor manages to keep a lid on him.

Progressive, high-class hold-up performer Boothill, bridesmaid to Jonbon in the Henry VIII Chase on this card in 2022, is another with claims in the race for second. That scenario may be reliant on Haddex Des Obeaux going too hard up front, however.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Everything in place for Jonbon to join greats

Nicky Henderson believes Jonbon is in the form of his life as he aims to join former Seven Barrows superstars Sprinter Sacre and Altior by winning the Tingle Creek.

Ever since an electric display on his comeback in last month's Shloer Chase when beating Edwardstone by nine and a half lengths, the JP McManus-owned seven-year-old has been long odds-on for this race and he could return an even shorter price than Sprinter Sacre, who was sent off at 4-11 when winning in 2012.

"The figures say his win at Cheltenham in the Shloer Chase was a career-best and I'm not going to argue," said Henderson. "He jumped brilliantly and won impressively. He's in great order and has been since that race – he jumped five fences at home on Thursday morning and you wouldn't see anything better."

Nicky Henderson: trainer of JonbonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Jonbon, a four-time Grade 1 winner whose only defeats in 13 starts have come to El Fabiolo in last season's Arkle and Constitution Hill in the previous year's Supreme, defends an unbeaten Sandown record having gained two top-flight victories over the course and distance.

While Henderson harbours some concerns over the testing ground for Constitution Hill in the rearranged Fighting Fifth on the card, he is less worried about conditions for Jonbon.

"This race has been the plan for a while and the chase course at Sandown doesn't get as testing as it does over hurdles, which is a bonus," the trainer said.

"We know he likes the track too as he won the Henry VIII on this card last year in good style and then beat the senior chasers when he was still a novice in the Celebration Chase on the last day of the season. He might not have had as many headlines as some other horses recently, but he's very talented."

Edwardstone aiming for Tingle Creek day hat-trick

Only 12 months ago Edwardstone was hailed Britain's best two-mile chaser after winning this race impressively.

Things might not have gone right for Alan King's stable star since then, but the return to Sandown, where he also won the Henry VIII Novices' Chase on this card two years ago, is expected to make him the main challenger to Jonbon.

Edwardstone won last season's Tingle Creek but has not scored sinceCredit: Edward Whitaker

"We didn't have Jonbon to contend with last year and I'm worried about the ground because I don't want it bottomless," said King.

"He's come out of Cheltenham very well and seems in good order and I'm happy with him. He's got a very good record at this track and going right-handed generally."

King spent the week debating the alternative option of Sunday's Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon, for which Edwardstone was declared on Friday, but decided Sandown was the first port of call.

"He's been declared for the Peterborough, but that is just a back-up in case Sandown happens to be abandoned," the trainer said.

What they say

Gary Moore, trainer of Haddex Des Obeaux
This is a bit different to his last run, but the one thing he's got in his favour is he's got the ground he wants. He didn't have that at Cheltenham and hopefully it ekes some improvement out of him. I can see him running a better race. He doesn't have to lead but that's probably the way we'll go with him. He's progressive but how progressive we'll see here.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Nube Negra
He knows what he's doing in these races. He's taking on two who were in front of him last time [Jonbon and Edwardstone] and it's not going to be easy, but he's in great form. I know historically he's very good fresh but I have to say I've probably not seen him come out of a race so well. I'm very happy with him.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz

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