'That's the way he jumps when he's right' - Jonbon shows true colours in Maghull romp

It was a measure of how little energy Jonbon expended that Nicky Henderson feared in the moments after the race that the JP McManus-owned 43-length winner could batter the sponsors, just as he had his Maghull Novices' Chase rivals.

Jonbon won as a 2-11 favourite should but he also scored in the manner of an extremely smart horse. From start to finish he looked to be loving his jaunt around Aintree, whose winner's enclosure he entered with zest having notched his second Grand National meeting Grade 1 success.

"Watch it! He's not tired," shouted Henderson to representatives of EFT Systems, whose £120,000 prize was predictably claimed by a seven-year-old who lost his unbeaten record over fences to El Fabiolo at the Cheltenham Festival. The comprehensive manner of that defeat was disappointing. What we saw here suggested that, granted optimum conditions, a rematch would be worth watching.

For although Calico's fall at the final fence when already soundly beaten produced an exaggerated winning distance over runner-up Marvel De Cerisy, Jonbon resembled the thrilling star who had dazzled around Sandown in December.

Jonbon and Aidan Coleman after winning the the EFT Systems Maghull Novices' Chase Credit: GROSSICK RACING

"He was good today," said Henderson, immediately pointing to the importance of Aintree's drying ground as a factor in Jonbon's striking display. He also agreed that this Jonbon was superior to the one who contested the Arkle.

"That's the way he jumps when he's right," said Henderson. "He jumped from fence to fence today but he didn't do that at Cheltenham. He got a little warm today but he is also learning to relax. He is settling down all the time. I know he didn't win the Arkle, but he has had a very good first season over fences."

Although there are further Grade 1 options later this month at Punchestown and Sandown, Henderson sounded far from enthused by either, happier to send Jonbon on holiday after victory in a contest that took place 48 hours after the one that had been in Henderson's original Liverpool manifesto.

"I was saying we should go two and a half, two and a half, two and a half," admitted Henderson. "Then, a fortnight ago JP started to ask, what was going to run in this race? You had to assume Dysart Dynamo wasn't coming here and we knew El Fabiolo wasn't coming. You therefore had to say, what was coming here? JP was absolutely right."

Coleman said: "He just didn’t really get out of the tacky ground in the Arkle. He was much more at home on today's ground. He jumps better off it because he’s a low, neat jumper.

"I think he could still go up in trip and there’s lots of options for him. I would say he's a fan of being ridden aggressively over two miles on that ground, but given the way he relaxes and jumps, you can do anything you want with him."

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