Warwick wrap: Jonbon replaced as Arkle favourite
Additional reporting by Nick Seddon at Warwick
Jonbon was replaced as Arkle favourite, despite maintaining his unbeaten record over fences in the Virgin Bet Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick.
Sent off at 1-16 to beat just one rival – Dan Skelton’s Calico – following the morning withdrawal of two others, his trademark zip appeared to be missing at times.
Aidan Coleman sent Nicky Henderson’s charge into an early lead and while he was doing things easily enough, he was not getting away from Calico.
Halfway down the back straight Harry Skelton sensed an opportunity and sent Calico up Jonbon’s inside, met the next fence on a perfect stride and soon found himself three lengths clear.
It took Jonbon a couple of fences to realise he had a race on his hands and Coleman was happy to challenge around Calico’s outside on the final bend.
Once in front the race was never in doubt, but was rather workmanlike in winning by five and a half lengths.
He was pushed out by the bookmakers for the Arkle at Cheltenham next month, with Betfair going 2-1 from 11-8 and making Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo their 11-10 favourite. Coral make El Fabiolo their 5-4 favourite from 7-4, with Jonbon out to 13-8 from even money.
"I was very happy with him," Coleman tells Nick Luck
Coleman said post-race: “It’s a prep run and we knew he had plenty to work on. I schooled him the other morning and he schooled very well but he was very fresh. He jumped super again there and I was quite comfortable going to that fence there (down the back straight).
“I was going a good gallop and wasn’t really wanting to press along too much bearing in mind it’s a trial. Harry set his alight and winged it and although I didn’t make a mistake Calico got going and I was kind of just chasing from there.
“I was always quite confident from three quarters of a mile out. I met the next three fences spot on and then put it to bed well. He was a bit rusty but he won it nicely so I’m happy with that.”
Coleman, who hopes Jonbon can become the fifth Cheltenham Festival winner of his career and his first since Put The Kettle On in the 2021 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, was asked about Jonbon jumping right during today’s race and added: “He only did it once and it happens a lot at that fence in front of the stands as they’re coming into it on a bend.
“It probably looked a bit worse than it was but he’s a very clever and accurate jumper. It’s the exact same thing (as Haydock last year) in that we’re coming here with stuff to work on.
“He’s not been trained for this in particular - he was ready to go and we were really sweet on him, but at the same time it is a trial for the Arkle and that’s why we’re here. It was the exact same when we were warming up for Cheltenham at Haydock Park last year. He’s fine in that ground though and we’re very happy with him.”
"It will do him good" - Nicky Henderson reacts to Tom Stanley at Newbury
Trainer Henderson, who hopes Jonbon can help him increase his current Cheltenham Festival winners tally of 72, was not at Warwick to see the defeat but legendary ex-jockey Sir AP McCoy, speaking on behalf of owner JP McManus, said: “It was good and it was nice that he won.
“They’re all contenders in the race and we’ll have to see. He’s trained by a man who knows more about training horses like that than I do. He was happy with him and you’d imagine he’s looking for March and not today. I’d say he was just ready to have a run and looked rusty, that’s all. The Arkle is in March and not today.
“Nicky is good at training horses like that. He’s not going to win the Arkle watching that is he? But that isn’t the Arkle. I wasn’t worried watching it and he actually won quite well in the end. He’ll have learned a little bit from that today.
“The Arkle is going to be different and he needs to be sharper but we’ll let the trainer do his thing. I’d be more inclined to think about his runs earlier on in the year (in relation to the Arkle) than I would be today’s run. March is what he’s being trained for.”
Messire Des Obeaux a winner once again
"What a master" - Daryl Jaob hails the patience of trainer Alan King
Jockey Daryl Jacob was full of praise for trainer Alan King after Messire Des Obeaux (8-1) showed plenty of heart to pick up his first victory in more than two years in a pulsating renewal of the Virgin Bet Warwick Castle Handicap Chase.
The 11-year-old has form for ending droughts, having returned after more than 1,000 days off the track to defeat Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup contender Protektorat in the rescheduled 2021 renewal of the Grade Two Dipper Novices’ Chase at Wincanton.
And while it has not been plain sailing for him since, he travelled well throughout today’s contest in a small but select field - which included the smart handicapper Stolen Silver for Sam Thomas - to win in front of a crowd of 5,369, a record for Kingmaker Chase Day.
It looked as though he would have to settle for second behind the front-running Liverpool Knight for Dan Skelton, but Messire Des Obeaux found plenty to pick up his rival within the shadow of the post – much to the delight of his jockey, Jacob.
He said: “Fair play to Alan King. To get this horse back from the injuries he’s had and the lay-offs he’s had is credit to him - he’s been very patient. It’s nothing to do with me and everything to do with the trainer.
“This horse had lots of potential when he was younger to be right up there. He always gives you so much and I could always feel plenty under the bonnet.
“He’s had his issues and never quite filled the potential he could have done if he’d have been injury free, but even coming back as he did two years ago to win the Grade Two Dipper Novices’ Chase at Wincanton, that was a big day.
“There was no messing about there today, he’s won a really good race.”
Anthony Bromley, racing manager for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, would not be drawn on future targets but hinted that we could see the son of Saddler Maker on Merseyside in the spring.
He said: “He means a lot to everyone at the yard - they’ve really nursed this horse. He’s a bit fragile and even before his novice chase season he’d been off the track for the best part of 1,000 days.
“He’s still got loads of enthusiasm and we still send him down early before his races, just to keep the lid on him. He loves it!
“Kingy has put a lot into this horse, so that meant a lot and it was a big win. There was around £20,000 to the winner there so that pays for around a year of training fees, so it’s a great result.
“He’s going to get hit by the handicapper now because they pulled away from the third, but you can’t plan for this horse. We’ll see how he is in the morning and plan accordingly. We tried three miles as a novice and he didn’t really ever get that, so he’s looking at two and a half miles.
“I’d say the Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury may come a little too soon for him, but that would be the kind of race we’d look at. We don’t think Cheltenham would suit as he likes flat tracks. Who knows, Aintree may suit him?”
Hullnback could be Festival bound
"The hardest thing I had to do was pull him up!" says Jack Hogan
Returning from a shorter break was the Fergal O’Brien-trained Hullnback (2-5 Favourite), who looked well refreshed after 73 days away from the track when an eased down winner of the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Novices' Hurdle over two miles.
The six-year-old was last seen winning in good style at Haydock Park at the end of November and has options in both the SkyBet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle for Cheltenham-based trained O’Brien – who is yet to have a winner at the Festival.
And while she would not be drawn on specific targets, O’Brien’s partner and assistant trainer Sally Randell was pleased with what she saw from the son of Schiaparelli.
She said: “We wanted to run in a better race but we couldn’t, so we needed to get him out because he’s an absolute handful!
“He’s a thug so we needed a run and he’s done it really impressively. Had he met the last better he wouldn’t have missed a beat, but he didn’t come off the bridle so we’re really pleased.
“I hope he can go to Cheltenham. We’ve had to make a lot of use of him because of the races he’s been in as there hasn’t been a lot of pace. I think a race with more pace would make him even better as he’s having to do everything on his own in front.
“He wants further, but I’d have to go and talk to Paddy (Brennan) and Fergal (O’Brien) about his trip. He’s handling two miles and he’s not even having hard races, so we’ll see.”
Theatre Glory better than ever
Nico de Boinville talks to Nick Luck at Warwick
Elsewhere on the card, jockey Nico de Boinville reported that the improving Theatre Glory (4-7 Favourite) was better than ever when winning the Listed Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily Warwick Mares' Hurdle in some style.
The Nicky Henderson-trained six-year-old would need supplementing if she is to run in next month’s Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at The Cheltenham Festival, but she is not short of options having been trimmed by bookmakers to odds of 12-1 for the Coral Cup.
And while de Boinville would not be drawn on future plans he did admit he believes there is more to come from his charge.
He said: “I’d say she’s stepped up again today. It was just the way she went through the race. I was trying to look for a lead and there was nobody and she just wanted to get on with things. Every time she saw her hurdle she pricked her ears and couldn’t wait to get at them.
“It’s properly quick ground there today and she loves it. It’s an exciting time for the yard with all these nice mares.
“She’ll definitely benefit from a stronger pace and something just to tow her along, but she’s been well placed throughout her career and it’s not for me to decide where she goes next. She’s grown and matured this year for sure and I think there’s more to come.”
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