Henderson trio put Marky Tupp top to secure £59,000 prize in Tote Ten to Follow competition

The biggest cheers in Del Appleton’s household on Saturday were not for Corach Rambler in the Grand National but when Jonbon cruised to victory by 43 lengths at odds-on over two remaining rivals in the Maghull Novices’ Chase.

That brought Appleton 26.19 points and secured first prize of £59,956.20 in the Tote Ten To Follow jumps competition so when National favourite Corach Rambler passed the post so gamely in front Appleton just had to hope that the 52.50 points gained there did not sweep any of the 4.5 per cent of teams which had him on board past his Marky Tupp 48 stable.

It was three Nicky Henderson-trained horses who helped take Appleton to the top for, as well as Jonbon and the season’s top scorer, Constitution Hill, who featured in 77 per cent of stables and added 52.24 points to his total in the Aintree Hurdle, his ten included Shishkin, who was a bonus race winner in the Aintree Bowl, notching 54.15 points. 

Just 1.65 points separated the Marky Tupp 48 stable from Tidal Bay 014 in second and, while the winner’s team included El Fabiolo, Honeysuckle and Protektorat, the runner-up included Conflated, Edwardstone and State Man, in their squad. 

Both had Henderson’s Marie’s Rock in their stables  but she was unable to cope with Sire Du Berlais in the Liverpool Hurdle. The top scorer at the Cheltenham Festival was able to add 61.20 points here to place the veteran second, less than a point behind Constitution Hill, in the table of the season’s leading performers on 158.80. He was a shrewd pick for just 0.5 per cent of stables. 

Pic D’Orhy was another lightly supported horse to join the top ten. With only 0.8 per cent of stables on board he racked up 57.60 points in the Marsh Chase.

THE FINAL STANDINGS

SEASON'S TOP HORSES
1 Constitution Hill 159.31 points
2 Sire Du Berlais 158.80
3 Galopin Des Champs 133.75
4 State Man 121.00
5 Gerri Colombe 110.38
6 Pic D’Orhy 108.35
7 Editeur Du Gite 99.10
8 Jonbon 97.98
9 Shishkin 97.05
10 El Fabiolo 96.60

THE TOP TEAMS
1 Marky Tupp 48 958.41 points
2 Tidal Bay 014 956.76
3 E5 944.84
4 The Broken Have Evolved 11 926.73
5 Tidal Bay 09 917.66
6 Killeshin Stables 2 915.75
7 Arkle Himself 4 910.05
8 Fitz21 904.41
9 AW7 896.81
10 Tidal Bay 011 895.76

WINNING TEAM - Marky Tupp 48 - 958.41 points
Constitution Hill 159.31
Galopin Des Champs 133.75
Jonbon 97.98
El Fabiolo 96.60
Energumene 74.70
Bravemansgame 69.75
Shishkin 67.55
Protektorat 60.70
Honeysuckle 43.77
Marie’s Rock 14.10

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