Nicky Henderson eyes 'headline clash' with El Fabiolo after Jonbon's sensational Shloer rout

Expectations are always high when Jonbon appears, but Britain’s outstanding two-mile chaser brought his scintillating best to Cheltenham and, fittingly in the Shloer Chase, heightened anticipation for a sparkling Queen Mother Champion Chase in March.

It had been eight years since Nicky Henderson last toasted success in this Grade 2, with Sprinter Sacre recording a memorable a success that came en route to an even more memorable Champion Chase win later that season. And Henderson is already plotting a similar path with his latest superstar two-mile chaser at Seven Barrows.

Three classy rivals with 11 Graded-race victories between them, including the 2022 Arkle winner Edwardstone, took on JP McManus’s mighty talent here, but they proved no match as the 4-9 favourite produced a performance of the highest calibre.

Nico de Boinville, stepping in for the injured Aidan Coleman, positioned the record-shattering £570,000 point-to-point winner in a stalking second as Editeur Du Gite set a strong pace, but Jonbon’s class and bold jumping edged him closer to the leader by the top of the hill, and with a speedy leap four out he moved ahead. 

It triggered the warning light for the trailing trio as two-time Shloer victor Nube Negra began to fade and early pressure also told on the front-runner. Only Edwardstone kept in touch of a composed De Boinville, but with every stride Jonbon poured on the pressure.

He turned for home with a clear lead – a position he hadn't been in before at Cheltenham having chased home Constitution Hill and El Fabiolo in his previous runs at the track – and duly breezed clear with two professional jumps at the last two fences.

Jonbon and Nicky Henderson: victorious in the Shloer ChaseCredit: Andrew Parker

Immediately after this nine-and-a-half-length romp, attention turned to a rematch from last season's Arkle with El Fabiolo in the Champion Chase, and Henderson is already excited about it.

“It’s good for him to come around here as hopefully he’ll come around here later in the season,” he said. 

“I’m going to look forward to it. Let’s hope they do get there on the day and it’ll be one of the headline clashes.

“They went a good gallop and it wasn’t a tactical race. It was a sensible, good honest gallop in that ground. It was going to find him out first time if he wasn’t ready, but he was. You have to be very pleased. 

“He was just pricking his ears on the run-in and I could see those two great big ears lock on. He has had a nice time and has enjoyed himself. He should come on for it.” 

El Fabiolo was five and a half lengths superior to Jonbon in last season’s Arkle, but this bloodless performance resulted in the winner's Champion Chase odds halving to 5-2 with Paddy Power. His big rival remains the even-money favourite.

Jonbon: set to head to the Tingle Creek nextCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

A fair humbling from Willie Mullins’ ace in March had connections considering a step up in distance, but that was quickly parked after a dominant win over two miles at Aintree and the thumping of a talented line-up in Sandown’s Celebration Chase.

The Railway fences beckon next for Jonbon on December 9, with his short odds for the Tingle Creek becoming a even more slender at 1-4 (from 1-2).

Henderson said: “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.” 

For Edwardstone, who finished well clear of Nube Negra in second, this represented a return to form after his disappointing Champion Chase display.

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