Jonbon is 'just another horse' without a win at Cheltenham says Gold Cup winner

Former Gold Cup winning jockey Robbie Power has questioned whether Jonbon should be odds-on favourite for the Champion Chase, two weeks before the tape gets lifted on the 2025 renewal. 

Nicky Henderson’s charge has won the last two runnings of the Schloer Chase at the November meeting at the Cotswold track but has yet to register a win at the Festival having come up one short in both the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Arkle. 

Speaking at a Cheltenham Festival preview night hosted by BoyleSports at Limerick Racecourse, Power said: “For his legacy, Jonbon has to win at the Cheltenham Festival.

“He’s just another horse if he doesn’t win at Cheltenham. Desert Orchid was one of the greatest horses when I was growing up and I used to hate people slating him, but when he won a Gold Cup he became a great. If he hadn’t have won it, he’d never have become a great.  

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“I’d love to own the horse, if he won everywhere bar Cheltenham it wouldn’t bother me. But to be a great horse, you have to win at the Cheltenham Festival.  

“And I don’t think he will go down as a great horse! I’ve never been his biggest fan. There’s no doubting his ability, he’s got a huge amount of it, but Cheltenham has never suited him.

“He’s got very sweaty before some of his races and the whole occasion just gets to him," said Robbie Power who was speaking at a BoyleSports Cheltenham Preview Night at Limerick Racecoruse in aid of Irish Injured Jockeys.   

“Ascot is his cup of tea, that kind of track suits him much, much better. He won the Schloer Chase back in November, but it was an egg and spoon race and Energumene is the one for me. I’d have him over Jonbon. 

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“I can’t believe Energumene is as big a price as he is off the back of the Clarence House. He is a Champion Chase winner and he’s too big at 6/1 especially if the ground is soft; it wasn’t that soft at Ascot," he said.

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Click here for all the latest betting ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.  

Champion Chase 

4/5        Jonbon 

5/1        Gaelic Warrior 

5/1        Il Est Francais 

6/1        Energumene 

15/2     Banbridge 

8/1        Marine Nationale 

8/1        Solness 

10/1     El Fabiolo 

20/1 bar