Nicky Henderson confirms Sandown the plan for Jonbon as El Fabiolo clash finally looks on

The clash between the leading two-mile chasers in Britain and Ireland edged closer on Monday when Nicky Henderson confirmed Jonbon as an intended runner in Saturday's bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown, where he is set to clash with El Fabiolo, his old rival from the Willie Mullins camp.

El Fabiolo is one of five Closutton entries in the final Grade 1 of the jumps season as Mullins looks to wrap up the British trainers’ championship – for which he is a 1-66 shot with Coral – and Henderson joked that he had been given encouragement to run Jonbon this weekend by the other title contenders.

The trainer had considered heading to Punchestown with the six-time Grade 1 winner, but the eight-year-old will instead be out to avenge his 2023 Arkle defeat by El Fabiolo on their long anticipated first clash since March last year.