Jonbon© Photo Healy Racing
Jonbon strolled to an easy win in the EFT Systems Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree.
The Nicky Henderson-trained bay was one of a small field of four and pulled away smartly around the final bend under Aidan Coleman.
He streaked clear of Calico ridden by Harry Skelton for his brother Dan, who then fell at the last and left Jonbon to cruise home as the 2-11 favourite. Marvel De Cerisy set out to make all in the two-mile affair, but when Coleman gave the signal, Jonbon eased by to assume control.
Some fine leaps up the straight sealed the 43-length victory, with Marvel De Cerisy taking second and Fusain a further 27 lengths away in third.
Jonbon was returning to winning form after finding El Fabiolo too good in the Arkle at Cheltenham and Henderson felt his charge had shown his true colours this time.
The Seven Barrows handler said: “He was good today, wasn’t he? The ground has probably dried out a bit since yesterday and he does love that good ground.
“That is the way he jumps when he’s right. He jumped from fence to fence today and didn’t jump from fence to fence at Cheltenham. Whether it was just the better ground today, I don’t know.
“I was thinking we’d come here and run over two and a half miles, but we knew Dysart Dynamo and El Fabiolo weren’t going here and JP (McManus, owner) said a couple of weeks ago ‘what is actually going to run in the two-mile race’? He was absolutely right.
“Aidan said on good ground he feels like a two-miler. I’ve always thought he’d go as far as you like, but we’ll see — we don’t have to make any decisions today.”
When asked whether Jonbon could run again before the end of the season at either Punchestown or Sandown, the trainer added: “I very much doubt it, but I won’t rule anything out.
“I know he didn’t win the Arkle, but he’s had a very good first season over fences.”
