Nicky Henderson believes it would be dangerous to underestimate Jonbon in the Arkle Trophy at next month’s Cheltenham Festival following his workmanlike success at Warwick on Saturday.
Best of the rest behind his brilliant stablemate Constitution Hill in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle last season, the JP McManus-owned seven-year-old pursued a career over fences this term and was hugely impressive in winning on his debut at Warwick and in landing the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown.
He was a 1-16 favourite to see off a solitary rival and make it a hat-trick in last weekend's Kingmaker Novices' Chase – but it was not as straightforward as expected, with Calico challenging and even passing Henderson's charge racing down the back straight.
Jonbon reeled him back in on the home turn and eventually pulled clear on the run-in, but was nevertheless replaced as the Arkle favourite by Irish Arkle winner El Fabiolo.
While many were unimpressed, Henderson, who has won the two-mile novice chasing championship on a record seven occasions, has not lost any faith in his latest contender and is confident he will be at concert pitch for the day that matters.
"He's a good horse. Constitution Hill beat him quite a long way, but after that he's been very good," said the Seven Barrows handler.
"On Saturday I think Aidan (Coleman, jockey) had just taken his foot off the gas going down the back, he'd just got into a nice rhythm and didn't see any reason to go any quicker. Then all of a sudden this thing swooped like a buzzard, it caught him unawares and he was four lengths down.
"I think it will have done him good, personally. He had a right good blow, like he's never done before, so I'm going to take positives.
"I wanted a lead, that's the first time he's ever jumped a fence behind another horse, which didn't worry him but it just hurried him up a little bit.
"Warwick is sharp and going down the back straight flat to the boards just caught him out for two fences and he had to chase him round the bend.
"I'd better just get on and sharpen my own pencil and get a bit more work done."
While Jonbon is very much the star of Henderson's novice chasing team, two other horses for whom the trainer holds high hopes are City Chief and Mister Coffey.
City Chief impressed in winning the Towton Novices' Chase at Wetherby earlier in the month, but looks set to sidestep Cheltenham, while Mister Coffey is in line for the National Hunt Chase despite suffering defeat under his planned Cheltenham rider Derek O'Connor at Uttoxeter on Saturday.
"I don't think City Chief is ready for it – I think he needs another year," reasoned Henderson.
"He was great at Wetherby, and the time before. He's learning but he's got a bit more to learn and I don't want him in there this year. He will be there, he's going the right way all the time but no. He has an entry but I'd rather not.
"Mister Coffey will go for the National Hunt Chase. I was a bit disappointed he got beaten the other day, but we wanted to make the running, they had a false start and then a standing start and the trouble is he stayed standing!
"After that he got caught horribly wide the whole way round and personally I think he should have won, but we got a run into him and he ran a good race and the National Hunt Chase is what we've been aiming at all along – that was why Derek was there (Uttoxeter). The plan is for him to ride."
