Jonbon all set for Tingle Creek defence
Jonbon ridden by jockey Aidan Coleman
Nicky Henderson believes Jonbon is well placed to defend his Betfair Tingle Creek Chase crown at Sandown on Saturday.
The seven-time Grade One winner is aiming to become the the first horse since the great Kauto Star to claim back-to-back victories in the Sandown feature.
Henderson has trained many top-class two milers including Remittance Man, Travado and two recent Tingle Creek heroes in Sprinter Sacre (2012) and Altior (2018).
“I think you have to give him pretty high star status as he certainly compares with all the others. To be fair any horse that has won the amount of Grade Ones that he has done has to be pretty good,” said the trainer.
“They have all been completely different. Sprinter was unique as he was just a big, beautiful, mighty horse and Altior was great.
“He matches up with all the other lads. He is a solid person and a great character.”
Just as he did last season, Jonbon will be looking to follow up a comeback victory in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham.
The eight-year-old will be reopposed by the second, third and fourth from that Grade Two contest in Boothill, Edwardstone and Unexpected Party respectively and Henderson is optimistic his charge can confirm his superiority on a track where he is unbeaten in four starts.
He added: “We are very happy with Jonbon. Paddy (Murphy) who rides him every day tells me he is very happy, but he is an eternal optimist so I hope he is right!
“The whole idea of the Shloer is that it is a nice stepping stone, and although it comes quite close to the Tingle Creek, it brought him on really well last year, and I’d be disappointed if it hasn’t brought him on again this year.
“Edwardstone was there with us in the Shloer and I expect Alan King thinks and hopes he will have come on for that race, and the second Boothill as well. They were all making their seasonal debuts, but we would hope we can confirm the placings.
“They are all entitled to come on for the Shloer run, but so is Jonbon and I think we are in a good place with him.
“I gather there is plenty of rain to come so we have got to be prepared for soft ground, but I think he is pretty versatile as far as ground is concerned. Like any top-class horse, he can handle most things.
“It would be good if he could win this for a second time as this is one of the first big Grade One tests on the calendar and it is a historic race in memory of what was a great horse in Tingle Creek, who I remember well.”
