Jonbon continues to come of age as Henderson signs off Jumps season in style
Lambourn’s Nicky Henderson ended the 2022/23 Jump season in style on Saturday as he celebrated a double at Sandown Park, writes The Jockey Club’s Graham Clark.
One of the standout performers at Seven Barrows, Jonbon, stormed to an impressive Grade One victory on his first start in open company in the bet365 Celebration Chase.
Despite losing out in the race to win his seventh champion trainer’s crown, the veteran Henderson still had plenty to smile about at the weekend as the Walk in the Park gelding landed the fourth Grade One triumph of his career and his third at the highest level over fences.
Jonbon missed out on the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival but, despite a couple of nerve-inducing jumps, showcased his class as he hit top gear heading for home to defeat Queen Mother Champion Chase runner-up captain Guiness by three-and-a-quarter lengths.
Henderson admitted it had been a bit of a risk running one of his Seven Barrows stars ahead of the summer break, but was delighted that it more than paid off.
“It was brave,” he said.
“It was very un-Henderson like sort of tactics, but there was no reason I could find (not to run him).
“I was talking to JP (McManus, owner) for three days and he said you have got to earn your corn as the trainer.
“That (mistake down the back) was the only thing that was probably novicey about him today.
“To come back from that as a novice, I think that made a man of him.
“Three fences later he is back on the bridle as if nothing happened but something had happened, something quite significant.
“A lot of horses would have dropped themselves out after that mistake but I think that is testament to his engine.”
Jonbon suffered the sole defeat of his career – and, in fact, just his second defeat in 12 career starts – over fences at March’s Cheltenham Festival, when the Willie Mullins-trained El Fabiolo proved too strong in the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase.
Mullins’ six-year-old was firing on all cylinders again last month when he finished 11 lengths clear of stablemate Dysart Dynamo in the Grade One Barberstown Castle Novice Chase at Punchestown.
However, Henderson is already looking forward to a rematch at next year’s Festival should both horses make it to the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.
He said: “Cheltenham was disappointing.
“He didn’t jump as well as he could, but take nothing away from the winner who again looked fabulous at Punchestown.
“Last year it was Energumene versus Shishkin.
Now the next dust up is going to be El Fabiolo and Jonbon. It is one-all.”
Henderson remains confident that on ground more suited to his charge, he has what it takes to inflict El Fabiolo’s first career defeat over fences.
“I do (think on better ground we can get the better of him),” he said.
“I was mighty impressed with El Fabiolo the other day.
“We have proved today we can take on the best two milers.
“Today bar one he was excellent and he will be excellent again at Cheltenham I hope next year and there is a lot to look forward to.”
Meanwhile, 7-1 shot Under Control won the afternoon’s opening race, the bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle.
Also sporting the green and gold silks of owner JP McManus, the four-year-old finished half a length clear of stablemate Iberico Lord.
“She’s a sweet little thing,” Henderson said.
“We’ve only had her a short time, Charlie Swan found her in France and then she went up to AP (McCoy’s) for a bit.
“There wasn’t much to her and she doesn’t look very big but she’s grown in stature.
“It was a big ask to do that and we’ve gone from fast ground (when winning a fillies’ juvenile handicap hurdle at Cheltenham last week) and we were worried about the ground today.
“It was a good test for her and it’s not been many days since her last run, to come out and do that is impressive.
“She probably got there a bit too soon, but it would have been alright for me as our horse was second too!”
“She’s a little cracker and she’s never stopped improving.”
