If there’s one horse that deserves to win at the Cheltenham Festival, it’s Jonbon.
A victory at the March mega meet has eluded Douvan’s full brother as he ran into Constitution Hill in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2022 before finding a prime El Fabiolo too hot to handle in the following year’s Arkle.
Jonbon has only been beaten on one other occasion in his 20-race career, when an uncharacteristically dreadful round of jumping stopped him from claiming the rearranged Clarence House Chase in 2024, and he’s won round his critics thanks to an incredible record of Grade 1 successes.
He is three from three for the current campaign and has seen off Irish rivals including Quilixios and dual Champion Chase winner Energumene to establish himself as the red-hot favourite to win the Cheltenham Festival feature.
The one problem?
The Champion Chase has been a nightmare race for odds-on fancies in recent years. You could almost say the contest is… cursed?
Champion Chase odds-on favourites record
El Fabiolo was the latest Champion Chase odds-on favourite to flop when pulling up at last year’s Cheltenham Festival.
The former Arkle winner’s disappointing display bust a number of accas and followed hot on the hooves of three consecutive shorties struggling in the championship race.
Shishkin was pulled up in 2022, Chacon Pour Soi could only manage third in 2021 and Defi Du Seuil came home in fourth in 2020.
A potential concern for Jonbon backers could be that his big bro also flopped when odds-on favourite for the Champion Chase as he suffered his first career defeat when finishing seventh of 10 in 2017.
Un De Sceaux was the first of the big guns to be beaten at odds-on when comfortably beaten by Sprinter Sacre, who recovered from heart problems to bag the big prize for the second time in his career, in 2016.
2024: El Fabiolo (2/9F) – PU
2022: Shishkin (5/6F) – PU
2021: Chacun Pour Soi (8/13F) – 3rd
2020: Defi Du Seuil (2/5F) – 4th
2017: Douvan (2/9F) – 7th
2016: Un De Sceaux (4/6F) – 2nd
El Fabiolo with jockey Paul Townend after being pulled up in the Champion Chase
Champion Chase winners
Just three Champion Chase favourites have justified their place at the top of the market in the last 10 years.
2024: Captain Guinness (17/2)
2023: Energumene (6/5F)
2022: Energumene (5/2)
2021: Put The Kettle On (17/2)
2020: Politologue (6/1)
2019: Altior (4/11F)
2018: Altior (EVS F)
2017: Special Tiara (11/1)
2016: Sprinter Sacre (5/1)
2015: Dodging Bullets (9/2)
Energumene wins the Champion Chase
Jonbon’s record
Jonbon is one of the most successful horses in training, but all three of his defeats have taken place at Cheltenham – two on the Old Course (which is what the Champion Chase will be run on) and one on the New Course.
Races: 20
Wins: 17
Grade 1s: 9
Cheltenham Runs: 5
Cheltenham Wins: 2
Prize Money: £1,113,787
Cheltenham Festival NRMB Tips
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