Arkle favourite Jonbon faces one rival in key Cheltenhan prep as Love Envoi is pulled

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Sporting Life Arkle favourite Jonbon will face just one rival in his final run before the Cheltenham festival after his main challenger Haddex Des Obeaux was taken out of the Virgin Bet Kingmaker Novices' Chase (2.40) at Warwick due to a bruised foot.

A field of four had been set to contest the 2m Grade 2 on Saturday morning but after Bass Rock was declared a non-runner due to a bad scope, the Gary Moore-trained Haddex Des Obeaux, who was an easy winner over course-and-distance last time, was scratched just before 10.20.

That leaves the Dan Skelton-trained Calico as Jonbon's only rival in the race, and the Nicky Henderson-trained star is now a long odds-on favourite to maintain his unbeaten record over fences.

Jonbon has been flawless in two chase starts so far, including when an impressive winner of the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase on his last start, and is the 5-4 favourite for the Arkle at the festival next month.

Officials at Warwick said it was a "shame" that the Kingmaker will only be contested by two runners, but are hopeful that another future Cheltenham Festival winner could be unearthed in one of their flagship contests of the year.

Clerk of the course Tom Ryall said: "It's a slight shame that Jonbon faces only one rival, but hopefully he will turn up and win on the way to emulating Edwardstone, who won here before landing the Arkle.

"We're expecting a good crowd of around 4,500, we're sold out in hospitality and the restaurant, have 2,000 in general admission and 2,000 students in the centre of the track."

'He seems better with everything' - Nicky Henderson on Jonbon

While Jonbon has a greater test awaiting him at Cheltenham next month, his trainer Nicky Henderson believes he has him in prime condition in his final appearance on the track as part of his crucial preparations before the Arkle.

Henderson, speaking on Friday, said: "Jonbon has been in great form and I'm very happy with him. The intention is that this race is one more practice run before March, but he takes everything in his stride and he's learned to relax a lot more. 

"He seems to be a calmer horse altogether than he was a year ago. It's down to his races but he seems better with everything at home. I was worried with Newbury about the ground being too quick, but he might as well stay in novice company for now anyway. He's a very good horse."

Love Envoi a late absentee from Warwick test

Love Envoi has been ruled out of her crucial Cheltenham trial at Warwick in the Listed 2m5f mares' hurdle (2.05) due to the going.

Last year's Mares' Novices' Hurdle winner, who is unbeaten in two starts this campaign, had been the red-hot favourite to add another success to her name but was a late absentee from the race due to the ground, with the going described as good, good to soft in places.

Love Envoi: a late withdrawal at WarwickCredit: Edward Whitaker

The seven-year-old is a 4-1 chance for the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival next month behind 2-1 favourite Honeysuckle.

Love Envoi's absence leaves just four to go to post at Warwick, with the Nicky Henderson-trained Theatre Glory now the odds-on favourite.

Henderson star backed for Betfair Hurdle success

No Ordinary Joe has been one of the best-backed horses in the Betfair Hurdle (3.35) as he bids to pick up his first big-race handicap glory in the Newbury showpiece.

The Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old finished third in the 2021 Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham but remains unexposed having raced just six times over hurdles so far - winning three of those starts.

He defied over a year off to win narrowly on his return at Kempton in December and is now a general 9-1 for the ultra-competitive handicap hurdle, having been a 12-1 chance overnight.

No Ordinary Joe is Henderson's sole representative in the race and bids to end a ten-year wait since Seven Barrows' last success in the race, which came with My Tent Or Yours in 2013.

Also in the race the Chris Gordon-trained Aucunrisque, who returns to hurdles, has been backed into 11-1 (from 14).

The seven-year-old has raced over fences on his last three starts, including when runner-up in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices' Chase on his latest outing.

Teddy Blue, one of two runners in the race for Gary Moore, has also been notably supported and is now an 11-1 chance (from 16).

Going remains good, good to firm in places at Newbury

Quick conditions will be in store at Newbury following a dry night at the track on Friday, with good to firm remaining in the going description ahead of a high-class Saturday card.

The going is good, good to firm in places after temperatures remained above freezing overnight and the course avoided potential frost issues during the week, with the seven-race card featuring the Betfair Hurdle (3.35), Denman Chase (2.25) and Game Spirit Chase (3.00) set to get underway at 1.15.

Clerk of the course Keith Ottesen said: "We're still good, good to firm in places. The good news is that we took off earlier the frost covers that have been in place since Sunday and there have been no problems. It reached 7C at 5am and it's relatively warm compared to what we've had through the week. There are no issues and a dry day is expected."

Course officials had warned that the word firm could feature in going descriptions last week due to winter watering restrictions and while three of the four current non-runner's on Newbury's card are due to the ground, Ottesen is hopeful the track will not ride as quick as was expected.

"It'll definitely retain moisture and I'm hoping it'll ride on the dead side as, when you push in the going stick it goes in well," he added. "It's a sign of the changing seasons and climate change we need to contend with.

"We were upfront early on with what might happen so it'd been no surprise if it did ride on the quicker side, but once the horses start galloping on it there will be plenty of moisture as it was really soft when we last raced on December 31."

Well-fancied Betfair Hurdle contender Hacker Des Places is the most notable of the card's non-runners, having been taken out on account of the ground on Friday evening, while Deere Mark is also a late absentee from the feature contest due to the going.

The going at Warwick is good, good to soft in places, with Arkle favourite Jonbon looking to cement his festival claims in the Grade 2 Kingmaker Novices' Chase (2.40), for which he is a long odds-on favourite.

Clerk of the course Tom Ryall said: "It's good, good to soft in places and we've applied 3-4mm of irrigation from the winning line to the top of the hill. That's always the quickest part of the track and walked a bit tighter so we did it for peace of mind.

"The track only fully defrosted yesterday afternoon, it was -6/-7C on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night and we had an unexpected -5C in the week that put us on the back foot."

Cheltenham may be just over a month away but there is plenty for us to enjoy in the meantime, with today's action at Naas, Newbury and Warwick sure to provide plenty of clues as the festival puzzle begins to fall into place.

Last weekend's Dublin Racing Festival saw El Fabiolo announce himself as a serious contender for the Arkle. Over to you, Jonbon. Nicky Henderson's star has looked imperious since being sent over fences and he will hope to send out another statement in today's Kingmaker Novices' Chase at Warwick (2.40).

Elsewhere at Warwick, last year's festival winner Love Envoi lines up in the Warwick Mares' Hurdle (2.05) as she looks to lay down a marker for the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham. Honeysuckle and Marie's Rock, take note.

Over at Newbury we have the betting race of the day. The Emmet Mullins-trained Filey Bay, now in the green and gold silks of JP McManus, will bid to become the first Irish raider to win the Betfair Hurdle (3.35) since Essex in 2005. However, he will have 16 rivals to take on, including the Willie Mullins-trained Icare Allen.

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It could be a good day at Newbury for Paul Nicholls, who has sent a formidable team from Ditcheat. Hitman will be bidding to make up for his King George disappointment in the Betfair Denman Chase (2.25), while Greaneteen is an odds-on favourite for the Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase (3.00).

Two of last year's most dramatic Cheltenham Festival winners will be lining up at Naas. Elimay is seeking a hat-trick in the Opera Hat Mares Chase (3.25) as she tackles her stablemate Dinoblue. Later on the card, Billaway is set for his final dress rehearsal (4.00) before seeking to win the St James's Place Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase again.

A fascinating day awaits. Whether you're on the course or on the sofa – here's to a good one.

Key information

Newbury
Going: good, good to firm in places
First race: 1.15
Weather: dry and cloudy

Non-runners: 1.50 3. West To The Bridge, 3.35 4. Hacker Des Places, 4.10 2. Rath Gaul Hill, 4.43 6. Ledders

Warwick
Going: good, good to soft in places
First race: 1.30
Weather: dry and overcast

Non-runners: 1.30 5. Galahad Quest, 2.05 7. West Balboa, 2.40 2. Bass Rock, 4. Haddex Des Obeaux

Naas
Going: yielding
First race: 1.05
Weather: dry

Read today's previews: 

'It's important she steps forward' - progressive mare Love Envoi chases latest victory  

'He has a great chance' - Paul Nicholls expects big things from Hitman 

'I'm very happy with him' - can Jonbon continue on the winning trail in the Kingmaker? 

Will Greaneteen be at his best? Analysis and key quotes for the Game Spirit 

'She isn't as straight as other years' - is the hat-trick-seeking Elimay vulnerable this time? 

Betfair Hurdle: 'He's still on the rise' - top trainers on their big-race contenders 

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