More Grade 1 Success For Walk In The Park’s Marvellous Jonbon

The brilliant Jonbon (10g Walk In The Park - Star Face, by Saint Des Saints) captured an 11th Grade 1 victory with success in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday.

Trained by Nicky Henderson, Jonbon was winning the race for the second year in a row and he holds the remarkable record of never finishing outside the first two, with 19 wins and seven seconds from 26 starts.

The JP McManus-owned gelding was ridden by James Bowen and the pair raced in third before moving up to second at the second fence.

A mistake at the eighth fence dashed the son of Walk In The Park’s momentum before he rallied gamely. He took up the lead at the final fence and went clear up the run-in to win by three lengths.

Henderson said: “Dear old Jonbon, he is so very, very special. Stamina kicked in and that helped him, he stays, we know he stays.

“I was terrified he’d lose his record, let alone win. He should be proud of that record, but I thought it was up for grabs. I know JP just adores him and you can see why.

“It’s unfortunate for Harry [Cobden], but it’s great for James, I’ve got to say that, they’ve met up once before at Cheltenham [when second in this race] two years ago and it didn’t go to plan."

He added: “We always saddle him in the stables, I think that was the first time I’ve saddled him in about five years, certainly since he’s been chasing, because we don’t saddle him up here.

“It was an end-to-end gallop, it seemed to test them all. James thought he was beaten three out, but he keeps going.

“He probably never changes gears, he was a very fast horse and now he’s not as fast as he was, but the stamina kicks in. He’s on older legs than those other guys, but he’s brave.”

Jonbon was bred by Lotfi Kohli.