JONBON PASSES FIRST CHASE TEST
NICKY HENDERSON hailed “perfect” Jonbon after the Seven Barrows superstar earned a 7-4 Arkle Challenge Trophy quote with a winning chase debut at Warwick.
The JP McManusowned eight-year-old – Douvan’s full-brother was a record £570,000 purchase from the point-to-point ranks – brushed aside rivals Monmiral and West Cork to land odds of 2-5 for the Highflyer Bloodstock Novices’ Chase by eight lengths.
“Perfect – you couldn’t have hoped for more,” purred Henderson after unsaddling Aidan Coleman’s mount, whose sole defeat over hurdles came when a 22-length second to stablemate Constitution Hill at Cheltenham last March.
“It was a good test. Those are good fences down the back – they have to be jumped.
“This isn’t a racecourse to take lightly over fences for a novice – there are easier – and he was pretty flawless there.”
Henderson will now step Jonbon, no bigger than 2-1 for the Cheltenham Festival’s two-mile novice chase on March 14, up to the top level for the Grade One Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown Park on December 3.
“He’s got two and a half weeks to the Henry VIII at Sandown and that’s where we’d like to go next,” he added.
“Most of our horses are needing the run and coming on for it and I don’t see why he wouldn’t do the same.
“He’ll learn but he couldn’t have been much better at his jumping and those were two good horses..”
★ PAUL NICHOLLS has confirmed Frodon will bid to provide him with a seventh victory in Saturday’s Betfair Chase – provided conditions at Haydock do not become too testing.