Jonbon enhances Supreme credentials with easy Kennel Gate win

Jonbon enhanced his already burgeoning reputation in running out a hugely impressive winner of the Howden Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle at Ascot.

Bought for the princely sum of £570,000 by JP McManus having won his sole point-to-point and sent to Nicky Henderson, Douvan’s full-brother promises to live up to the price tag and more based on this evidence.

While only five took their chance, the two-mile contest was widely regarded as being the best race of its type so far this season.

His opponents in the Grade Two affair included Paul Nicholls’ unbeaten Knappers Hill, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Grade Two winner I Like To Move It, Irish raider Colonel Mustard, who has been second in a Grade One, and Dan Skelton’s smart mare Elle Est Belle.

As none of his rivals wanted to give Jonbon – who has been very keen in the past – a lead, Aidan Coleman soon found himself in front setting a sedate pace after the field barely broke out of a trot in the early stages.

Coleman began to really quicken the pace at halfway and by the time the field turned into the straight he had most of his rivals in trouble.

Having jumped the second-last safely Coleman gave the even-money favourite a shake of the reins and he quickened and flew the last on his way to a two-and-three-quarter-length success over Colonel Mustard.

The bookmakers were impressed and he is now the general 5-2 favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

Henderson said: "He travelled very smoothly today, usually he sweats quite a bit, but he didn't sweat. He is getting the hang of it. I think they were playing games at the start, and set off as if they were trying to make a gallop to get him to do what he did, which is what we did.

"He said 'sod it, I'm going on', and that is what Aidan said - you can do anything with him. I would prefer to ride him the other way, but he can do anything you want. He is extraordinarily professional for a horse that has had so little experience, but he had a very good education in Ireland before he came to us.

"To be fair, life has been pretty simple and very straightforward since his first run at Newbury. He is getting more relaxed in life. He was good at the start. He was a cool dude all the way around. It is funny, he had them off the bridle a long way out off no pace as Aidan said his cruising speed is so high.

"He hasn't seen a hurdle since Newbury. Why? I'm not going to teach him anything. He doesn't need me at all, actually.

"I would think only one run. Where or when I'm not going to speculate. That is tacky old ground today.

"There is nothing wrong with the ground, but when it gets tacky here it can be hard work for one or two. It didn't bother him. I don't think he is ground dependent in any way.

"We have a lovely bunch of novices' this season, but I would think one run for him.

"His life is in front of him not behind him, but we are getting through the nervous nineties – that was what today was. That was obviously going to be a test."

Coleman said of the start to the race: “It is what it is, no one wanted to make it.

"He is a very straightforward horse. He went down to the start and to the first asleep, it was a farce. But I thought I should just keep it simple. He was the best horse in the race, so let him go. He is very good horse!"

Lorna Fowler, meanwhile, was proud of Colonel Mustard's effort.

She said: "He has run a huge race. It was a ridiculous pace. We said we didn't want to go and make it and we shouldn't have. He tried so hard. Connor (Orr) got that nice run up the inner and short-circuited them. How can you complain. That is a great run, it has proved he is in the top drawer of the best two-mile novices.

"We have not been annihilated. I am really proud of him – he has really tried his heart out.”

Pic D’orhy shrugged off a last-time-out fall to put up an immaculate display of jumping in the Howden Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot.

Paul Nicholls’ six-year-old, who won the Betfair Hurdle in 2020, looked on course to win at Newbury last time out before making a crashing exit.

There was no sign of any hesitancy at any of the fences, though, as Harry Cobden guided him to an impressive success.

Having taken up the running before the turn for home as Gladiateur Allen made one too many mistakes and dropped away, the 5-4 favourite only had Faivoir and Up The Straight for company.

Without coming off the bridle, Pic D’orhy pulled effortlessly clear to land the Group Two event for Nicholls for the fourth time since 2014.

Paddy Power trimmed the winner to 20-1 from 25s for the Turners Novices’ Chase in March.

Nicholls: “He has been a bit frustrating. He has a hell of an engine. He was very good today. He just tipped in at a few, he is beginning to learn the game a little bit and he does tend to take one on a little bit – and when you are running downhill and he is a bit free, it can be problematic.

“That was his best round of jumping. He was fourth in this race last year and fell in the race before that against Chantry House, but who knows what would have happened that day? Then the other day at Newbury, he would have won had he had not fallen.

“He will be grand in the spring for those two-and-a-half-mile, two-mile-six-furlong novice chases. The Scilly Isles, the Pendil. He might not go to Cheltenham and then we’ll go to Aintree. Those sort of races would suit him well.

“He is a bit bolshy and ignorant. He has a great engine and is a proper horse. Once he gets that jumping rock solid, he will win some really nice races. He jumped the last two absolutely beautifully.”

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls set himself up nicely for another big weekend with a double at Ascot.

Having earlier taken the Grade Two Noel Novices’ Chase with Pic D’orhy, the Ditcheat handler struck again with another exciting prospect in the shape of Henri The Second in the Listed Lexicon Recruitment Championship Open National Hunt Flat Race.

The four-year-old followed up an impressive win at Chepstow with an equally authoritative display, as the 100-30 chance made most of the running under Harry Cobden to see off Authorised Speed. Though the official verdict was a length, Henri The Second easily had his rivals on their knees.

“He has hardly turned a hair. One more run and he’ll probably go novice hurdling,” said Nicholls.

“We’ll probably do what we did with Knappers Hill and Stage Star, go to Aintree and then put him away.

“The slower the ground would suit him better. Aintree is perfect. Run him in that and then he’ll go novice hurdling next October. He is all about the future. We’re excited by him.”

Jockey Sean Houlihan is enjoying life again, having recovered from a major back operation when falling in the Sussex National at Plumpton in April.

Partnering the Philip Hobbs-trained Earth Lord (5-1), the pair held off the late thrust of the staying-on Scarpia to win the Howden Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle by three-quarters of a length.

It resulted in Houlihan riding out his claim.

“It means a lot to me to ride winners like this,” said Houlihan.

“I set myself a little goal to get the winners by Christmas and it is nice to achieve that.”

He added: “He travelled really well and hurdled really well. It was tough for him because he was against a few seasoned handicapper and he is a novice. This was a nice race the guv’nor found.

“He coped with the ground really well and probably got there a bit soon, as he had a little look.

“He was idling a bit. He is a lovely horse but he is still inexperienced. He will have learned a ton from this.”

Having gone close with Scarpia, Nicky Henderson was again luckless in the Howden Maiden Hurdle when 15-8 favourite City Chief powered up the incline after the last flight but failed to reel in 22-1 chance Party Business.

Under a fine ride from 3lb claimer Charlie Todd, the Ian Williams-trained winner showed plenty of ability, which had thus far, failed to materialise.

“It was a good performance,” said Williams.

“He made a really nice debut over two miles at Warwick and just got into a little bit of aggro and his bumper form was solid, although probably not at the level of this, so it is good to see him exceed expectations.

“He is a quality horse but you always wonder when running against the big yards, how good they could be.

“Time will tell if this is a good race or not, but the first three finished well clear, so on balance, the form should hold up well.”

Venetia Williams has her string in good form and Brave Seasca (7-2) drew clear of his rivals in the Howden Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase in the hands of Gavin Sheehan to score by three lengths.

The six-year-old clearly showed no ill-effects of his 10-length success at Warwick last week to make it two from three over fences.

Williams said: “The handicapper fairly walloped him for his Warwick win, so this was the only opportunity we had to run with the penalty, so it was the obvious thing to do.

“The handicapper said we had 5lbs in hand, and that was the case, but they still have to go out and do it and it is a completely different racecourse and class of event.

“It is nice after the autumn we have had to come to Ascot and find this sort of ground.”