Jonbon records Shloer Chase hat-trick at Cheltenham

The evergreen Jonbon continued his record of never finishing outside the first two places when seeing off Mighty Bandit to land a third Shloer Chase crown at Cheltenham for Nicky Henderson and JP McManus

Harry Cobden made his first ride on Jonbon in public a successful one as the odds-on favourite landed a third Shloer Chase in gritty fashion at Cheltenham.

Never out of the first two in 29 races, Nicky Henderson's charge is approaching veteran status at the age of 10 and was winning for the 21st time in his stellar career.

His task was made easier with the late withdrawal of Gidleigh Park, but Mighty Bandit kept him honest after the last, with the 1-2 favourite pulling away again towards to line to win by two and a quarter lengths.

Rising weighing-room star Daniel King timed his run to perfection aboard the Tom Cooper-trained D Art D Art in the Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Novices Chase.

The winning jockey, who landed a famous double at the Galway Festival in the Plate and Hurdle for Willie Mullins and Tony Martin respectively in the summer, delivered aboard the 7-2 shot.

Given time to close on the leaders from a patient position in the five-runner field, King closed on the leaders at the turn into the straight and stayed on well to deny the strong-finishing Intosomethinggood at 100-30 by a neck.

Cooper said: "This is very emotional and if you saw this horse on August 13, 2025 he got an awful bad doing. He bled profusely internally and they did a wonderful job at the vets.

"It was terrible, he was gone, dead. But they brought him back to life and it was amazing. He crashed into a wall and got loose in the box and out of his stable overnight and what he did to himself was horrific.

"We gave him a couple of runs to get over the accident and he's taken well to the fences. He can come back here in March, what for I don't know what, but he's obviously going absolutely the right way.

"He's a different horse this year and he's been a little hot before, but he's so chilled out now and changed his tune completely, he's loving life."

He added: "I was always confident as he jumps for fun and this rider is absolutely top drawer - you're going to hear a lot about this kid!

"He doesn't know how to lose this horse and he will stick his head out, grind and wants to win."