Jonbon all set for Champion Chase mission

Jonbon will face a maximum of 10 rivals when he bids to break his Cheltenham Festival duck in the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday.

Nicky Henderson’s star two-mile chaser has so far chased home his illustrious stablemate Constitution Hill in the 2022 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle before finding El Fabiolo too strong in the Arkle 12 months later.

The nine-year-old missed last year’s Festival and his only three career defeats from 20 starts have come at Cheltenham, but he is still a dual winner at the track and is the hot favourite to add to his tally on his return to the Cotswolds next week.

After deciding against leaving in Bloody Destiny, El Fabiolo and Gaelic Warrior at the confirmation stage, Willie Mullins will rely solely on dual Champion Chase hero Energumene.

Also absent from last year’s Festival, the 11-year-old will belatedly get the chance to complete his hat-trick, but was no match for Jonbon in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in January.

Barry Connell has high hopes for stable star Marine Nationale, while Solness is a major player for Joseph O’Brien following successive Grade One wins at Leopardstown.

French ace Il Est Francais has been left in by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, but appears more likely to contest Thursday’s Ryanair Chase.

George told Sky Sports Racing: “He’s in great form, he had a little blowout on the sand this morning and schooled well on Tuesday, so we’re ready to rock and roll.

“We’re very much looking Ryanair-bound. We’ll leave him in the Champion Chase, just in case anything happens over the next couple of days, but we’re very much looking forward to the Ryanair, I think, and it’s all very exciting.

“It looks like it’s very dry. My dad (Tom George) is not far from Cheltenham and he says even his schooling ground is drying up a lot.

“I even heard they might be watering there today, depending on what rain they’re going to get. That all bodes well for him because he likes good ground and the main thing is he’s in great form.”

The potential Champion Chase field is completed by last year’s winner Captain Guinness (Henry de Bromhead), Found A Fifty (Gordon Elliott), JPR One (Joe Tizzard), Libberty Hunter (Evan Williams), Master Chewy (Nigel Twiston-Davies) and Quilixios (De Bromhead).