Jonbon faces acid test and is no guarantee in fascinating Melling Chase - but main rivals must bust Aintree trend
There have been 26 horses aged nine or older contest this Grade 1 in the last ten runnings and just one was successful. Ten years have passed since Boston Bob’s sole victory and trends followers will see this as cut and dried as only one runner is younger than nine this season.
Jonbon is the horse in question and, while he established himself as a top-class performer by winning the Tingle Creek at Sandown in December, it still feels like he has a bit more to prove than some of these rivals, many of whom have been regular winners at spring festivals.
Jonbon might have won Grade 1s at the last two editions of this meeting, but both were in novice company and he has twice come up short at the Cheltenham Festival. This feels like the acid test for him as he runs here on a retrieval mission after missing the Champion Chase.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
inPreviews
- 4.35 Cologne: 'We've had this in mind since November' - will the plan pay off for Devil's Point in the German 2,000 Guineas?
- 6.10 Windsor: will form of runaway Dante winner Economics prove key? - analysis and key quotes for fillies' maiden
- 2.50 Saint-Cloud: Village Voice and Cristian Demuro reunited in search of Prix Corrida success for Jessica Harrington
- Cracking the Premier puzzle with Richard Birch's selections for all nine ITV4 races on Sunday
- It's party time at Naas as track celebrates its centenary year with free entry for Royal Ascot Trials day
- 4.35 Cologne: 'We've had this in mind since November' - will the plan pay off for Devil's Point in the German 2,000 Guineas?
- 6.10 Windsor: will form of runaway Dante winner Economics prove key? - analysis and key quotes for fillies' maiden
- 2.50 Saint-Cloud: Village Voice and Cristian Demuro reunited in search of Prix Corrida success for Jessica Harrington
- Cracking the Premier puzzle with Richard Birch's selections for all nine ITV4 races on Sunday
- It's party time at Naas as track celebrates its centenary year with free entry for Royal Ascot Trials day