Trainer Nicky Henderson is upbeat about the chances of Jonbon becoming the first horse to win the £100,000 Shloer Chase for a third time, when he lines up in the two-mile highlight at Cheltenham on Friday.

The now 10-year-old, a 12-time Grade 1 winner, won the Grade 2 contest in 2023 and 2024, before going down by 15 lengths when runner-up to L’Eau du Sud 12 months ago.

However, Henderson believes he has Jonbon in a good place ahead of Friday’s contest, in which he will be ridden for the first time by Harry Cobden in his role as retained jockey to owner J.P. McManus.

The trainer said: “Jonbon has been great. I don't know how many times he's run in this race (three), but it seems to be the standing place for him to start every season on the grounds that we're still staying at two miles. I think that's the major point of that and it leads you nicely into the Tingle Creek. So, we're on the same plan.

“Everybody is happy with him. Paddy (Murphy) rides him every day and nobody else is allowed on him because he has this wonderful mind and doesn't like anything being out of sync. It's just routine, routine. He trusts Paddy and so do I. And we leave it at that.

“Harry Cobden has come and had a sit on him. He gets on at the bottom of the schooling ground, jumps five fences and gets off again. That's all he's allowed. And then Paddy gets on him again.

“I would seriously like to think he's quite a bit more forward than he was at this time last year. He has had one away day, which was good. That's the day he will sweat, sweat, sweat. He went to Kempton, and he enjoyed that. I think, as I say, I'd like to think we're more forward this season. He wasn't quite ready for it last year, I have to admit.

“This is where the game begins again. And it's lovely to have him back because he's been part of Cheltenham for a lot of years. I think a lot of people will say it's not his favourite, but we are going to ignore the stats that say he doesn't like Cheltenham. He loves it!

“I think there is pace in the race on Friday, but we would be very happy to be making the running to be honest with you. He loves bowling along in front – Nico always thought he was best when he was doing that. You need to be very positive on him.”

Jonbon has become a firm favourite among racing fans over the years, which is something Henderson puts done to the gelding’s consistency at a high level and longevity.

He continued: “I can remember when J.P. bought him in a sale at Yorton Farm however many years ago it was and he hasn't missed a game at any stage. I suppose the only time is when we didn't run him at Sandown at the back end of last season, I would think that's about the only day he has ever missed a race.

“We are all proud of him and we all love him. He's never been out of the first two and he’s won 12 Grade 1s - he's been something else. The big issue really is his trip nowadays and whether he's genuinely still a two-miler. He has been going two and a half, and I suspect that helps him a little bit.

“He is just a horse that everybody loves. And some say he hasn't gained the credit that he deserves. But he certainly gets it here - he's a flag bearer of the highest order.

“There is him and Constitution Hill. They only live one box apart. So, you know, obviously, they get a lot of visitors and lots of mail and Polo mints.

“We are very lucky. And the fact he's kept going all these years tells you a lot about him. He used to be a desperate worrier, but he's got so much better now.

“I think that when you've got horses that do become public and people do enjoy coming to see them, that's wonderful because that's what it is all about. And luckily, in National Hunt Racing, you can do this five, six years of performing at the top stage.

“Different people have their favourite horses, and the mailbox isn't even limited to those two. It's extraordinary how people follow certain ones and become very attached to them. And I think it's just lovely - it gives us a lot of buzz and satisfaction that we can show them to their fans. And they do genuinely have fans. We need all the support we can get.”

Old Park Star returns

Another Henderson superstar set to take his chance at Cheltenham this weekend is Old Park Star. The six-year-old was unbeaten in four starts over hurdles last season, culminating with victory in the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

On Saturday he is set to make his debut over fences in the Grade 2 Paddy Power Arkle Trial Novices' Chase over two miles, providing ground conditions are suitable.

Henderson said: “We have been very happy with Old Park Star. Again, he's had a racecourse gallop and he has schooled. His schooling has been very good.

“I've always said I'm not mad about novices having their first runs around Cheltenham and Ascot. I think for novice chasers they are difficult tracks and not as simple as, let's say, a Newbury.

“The plan was originally to go to Exeter next week. To be fair, they have put on a novice chase very kindly at Ffos Las next week, which would be probably the sensible route. But he is in very good form. I realise what we're taking on, Kabral Du Mathan in particular. There are plenty of others in there and I don't know who is planning to come and join the party.

“The most important thing for him is the going. I was talking to Jon (Pullin) last weekend and that led us to say we will be ready to go. We will look and see what they say the ground is like on Friday. If Nico (de Boinville, jockey) is happy on Friday, then it's all go.

“I look forward to it with a certain amount of trepidation, because, you know, he was unbeaten last season. He is the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, and his life is in front of him still. And jumping fences is very much part of that. It won’t be 'easy, but I think he's up for it.”

On the decision to go chasing rather than mounting a Champion Hurdle challenge this season, the trainer added: “He was a very, very good jumper of a hurdle. He actually jumped hurdles.

“I think we've always said that when we’ve been lucky enough to have those good two-mile novice hurdlers or even the two-and-a-half mile novice hurdlers, you come to the end of that first season and ask ourselves the question, could he win a Champion Hurdle?

“And in days gone by, we've crossed that bridge. Altior could have won a Champion Hurdle, but we went chasing. Constitution Hill could have gone chasing but we never tried it, thank goodness and he stayed hurdling.

“So, you can go both ways. With this horse, I think it was more that his jumping style wasn't like a hurdler. And all of those very good hurdlers we've been lucky enough to have, their one weapon was this amazing ability to cross a hurdle very, very quickly. From See You Then, to Binocular and Buveur d'Air.

“This fellow jumps more than he hurdles. And I think that told us a bit. And after our first school of fences, he made our mind up for us straight away.”

As to how his season has gone so far, Henderson summarised: “To be fair, we haven't started properly yet. This would be the first big weekend. We're only scratching with one runner here and a runner there at the moment. We're a long way behind.

“About 150-something behind Dan (Skelton) at the moment. But don't worry, Dan, we'll catch up!”

JON Pullin, Cheltenham’s Clerk of the Course, reported: “Conditions have improved ahead of the November meeting. We had six millimetres of rain overnight, which brings us to a grand total of 16 millimetres since the Showcase meeting (October 23rd and 24th). Obviously, we've been irrigating since that meeting and that will continue.

“We are continuing to irrigate both today and tomorrow. I have updated the ground this morning to Good, Good to Soft in places. The two-and-a-half-mile shoot that has been quicker we will be bringing back into play for this meeting, and that's now Good ground

“The Good to Soft would be mainly down the back straight at this stage. But hopefully with irrigation continuing today and tomorrow, we may see a few more areas that come into that Good to Soft area as well.

“The aim is to continue watering so that we get as much moisture in the track as we can ahead of Friday. Forecast overnight temperatures on Friday and Saturday are less than helpful as we could see temperatures dip down below zero. If that happens, it does potentially impact our ability to irrigate between days.

“Hence the continuing to water now, as we are trying to get as much moisture in as we can ahead of Friday. We will then just see where we are on Friday and Saturday.

“Saturday's overnight forecast is slightly better as temperatures should stay above freezing. So, there may be a window there to irrigate, if necessary, on Saturday into Sunday because the forecast from now is dry.”