Jonbon landed the 10th Grade One of his career as he safely retained his My Pension Expert Melling Chase crown at Aintree.
Nicky Henderson’s 4/6 favourite had come unstuck when expected to take the Champion Chase at Cheltenham, having to battle on for a gallant second after a bad mistake compounded problems at the start.
Only four went to post for this two-and-a-half-mile assignment and it did not take Nico de Boinville long before he turned up the heat in front.
Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo was regarded as his key rival, but when he came to grief, Jonbon was left to see off Dan Skelton’s Protektorat to come out on top, which he duly did, by three and a quarter lengths.
A relieved Henderson – who had endured another fall for Constitution Hill on the opening day of the meeting – said: “The horse is amazing when he’s doing that and Nico was very brave because it’s been a tough little session for all of us. For him to go out and ride him like that, that was a guy who had no fears.
“That Champion Chase doesn’t seem to work for him. It’s a pity as it just went all wrong in Cheltenham. The start went wrong as the tape literally went across his face, he went backwards and then you’re on the back foot from the word go.
“He proved today that he loves doing that. He likes his own space, like a lot of us, but the horse trusts Nico and Nico trusts the horse. They know each other well and it’s lovely to watch.”
Tension – Nico de Boinville with a long stare before Jonbon’s run in the Melling Chase
Relief – De Boinville punches the air as Jonbon cross the line in front
On a potential tilt at the King George next season, he said: “Nothing’s impossible. At the end of last year JP (McManus) said ‘we’re a two-miler and we’ll stay at two miles for this year’, but actually we came to Aintree and went two and a half. You’d be a brave man to ride him that way over three miles, but who knows?
“He gets this two and a half well and they’ve gone flat out today. He got a bit tired at the end, but any horse would after going that quick.
“He’s won the Celebration Chase (at Sandown) twice and we’ll look at it. He did go and win after this race last year, but then he hadn’t gone to Cheltenham. We’ll see.”
Meanwhile, a proud Skelton said of Protektorat: “We always say before his races he will turn up for us and do his best and he has done again.
“We’ve tried to beat Jonbon I don’t know how many times now and we’re not quite as good as him, it’s as simple as that – that doesn’t mean we are not extraordinarily proud of our horse.
“He always puts his best foot forward and he’s had a great year. He didn’t quite get as far up the field in the Ryanair as we’d hoped, but he’s come back in with his ears pricked and I can’t wait to do it all again next year.”
