Fans favourite Jonbon takes on three rivals in the Shloer Chase on the opening day of the Cheltenham November Meeting.
Entering his seventh season as a racehorse, Friday will be the 10-year-old's 29th start under rules; still yet to finish out of the first two in a race.
Despite his age, there is still a first for the 12-time Grade 1 winner as Harry Cobden jumps into the saddle to replace Nico de Boinville.
What would this race have looked like in the past few years was it not for Jonbon?
He's contested each of the last three renewals of the Shloer; defeating Edwardstone in 2023, Boothill in 2024, before finishing runner-up behind L'Eau du Sud 12 months ago. His fourth, and likely his last, is the weakest renewal he has ran it to date. Despite this, he will still need a performance better than he produced on seasonal debut last season, where he ran flat, beaten 15-lengths in the end. On paper, Jonbon is better than these, however, the son of Walk In The Park probably needs a little further to be seen at his best these days and does give 6lbs away to the rest of the field.
Eight-year-old Gidleigh Park looks to be the likeliest contender to put it up to the favourite. With just 11 racecourse starts, he is very lightly-raced for his age and his jumping has always been immaculate when he is firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately for connections, that hasn't been too often. Behind Jango Baie and Impaire Et Passe in Graded chases in 2025, he goes well on decent ground but was beaten 20-lengths when last seen in April.
Two that will need step up from the form that they have shown in handicap company so far are Saint Segal and Mighty Bandit. The former has pulled up twice in two starts at Grade 1 level, and was put in his place by Lulamba in the Grade 2 Game Spirit earlier this year.
Mighty Bandit, trained by Warren Greatrex, started last season rated 127 and progressed all the way up to running in the Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree, where he wasn't disgraced behind shock winner Mirabad. At six, he is probably still getting better. But he will need to if he is to spring a shock here.
Shloer Chase confirmed runners
- Jonbon
- Gidleigh Park
- Mighty Bandit
- Saint Segal
Shloer Chase betting odds
(Odds will display when market is available)
Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.
