'We'll protect him' - Henderson plotting Jonbon assault on white-hot Supreme

Nicky Henderson, blessed with a near lifetime of experience in the sport, may have to call on some of that wisdom as he fine tunes the Cheltenham Festival preparation of Jonbon, a leading contender in what is shaping up to be a white-hot Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle next month.

Henderson is in the enviable position of possessing Constitution Hill, who is the 2-1 favourite with the sponsors for the Supreme, and Jonbon, who can be backed at 5-1 with Unibet.

They have enjoyed flawless campaigns, although formidable Willie Mullins pair Dysart Dynamo and Sir Gerhard add spice to the festival opener.

Supreme Novices' Hurdle entries and betting

"They've been very good, but are chalk and cheese as you saw there," said Henderson, referencing a photo-shoot in front of the media at his Lambourn yard on Monday morning.

"Constitution Hill would stand there all day – he'd lie down for you – although Jonbon did behave very well. He's completely the opposite, quite a hyper horse.

"They both worked on Saturday, but not together and they will not do that. They do the same work, but don't need to work together. It would ruin the party if we knew the answer, wouldn't it? I don't want trials here, that's not the point of working horses together.

"The only time we've worked a really good horse with another was Sprinter Sacre and Simonsig as nothing else could go with them. I don't want them pulling up trees and having dust-ups here because they'd do too much."

Nicky Henderson with Constitution Hill (left) and Jonbon on MondayCredit: Ryan Pierse (Getty Images)

Henderson, who started training in 1978 and has had more winners (70) at the festival than anyone apart from Mullins, added: "We'll have ways and means of keeping the adrenaline and atmosphere out of Jonbon because he'll be the one who is on his toes. We won't let the atmosphere get to him because we'll protect him. That's the way he is, whereas nothing would worry Constitution Hill.

"They worked excellently at the weekend and will work on Saturday and the following Saturday I suspect and that will be about it, although Constitution Hill is very laid-back, so will probably want to do a bit more than Jonbon, who had an extra run at Haydock and is very straight. You'd be careful not to wind Jonbon up too much; there's a point you can overwind.

"Some of mine could go to Kempton for a racecourse gallop and I don't think it will do Jonbon any harm to have an awayday, but I might just take him there and bring him back. It'll be good for him to have a day out, but I don't think he wants the gallop. He could just go and walk around the paddock."

Henderson paid the pair the ultimate compliment by saying he thought they were in the league of previous Supreme winners Altior and Shishkin, but the 71-year-old trainer could have another star novice hurdler on his hands in the shape of Ballymore-bound Newbury winner Walking On Air.

The five-year-old heads straight for the festival and Henderson, who is also set to run the promising I Am Maximus in the Ballymore, added: "He's very good, but there were a couple of weeks after Newbury where he wasn't moving like I'd want and I can't afford for him to do that again quite so close to the festival.

"I'd have liked to have got another run in, but Nico [de Boinville] is quite confident that if any horse can do it off one run it's him. He said he was so professional."

Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (March 15)

Sky Bet: 2 Constitution Hill, 11-4 Dysart Dynamo, Jonbon, 3 Sir Gerhard, 17-2 Kilcruit, 7 Pied Piper, 10 El Fabiolo, 12 Allegorie De Vassy, Mighty Potter, State Man, Three Stripe Life, 20 bar

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