‘He is beatable’ – Jonbon’s ex-jockey provides worrying Cheltenham Champion Chase verdict
EXCLUSIVE: Cheltenham Festival winner and Jonbon’s former jockey, Aidan Coleman, has given a concerning prediction for Nicky Henderson’s Champion Chase favourite
Four-time Cheltenham Festival winner and multiple race winner with Jonbon, Aidan Coleman, gave a worrying verdict on Nicky Henderson’s star ahead of the Champion Chase.
Coleman, 36, was forced to retire last year after suffering a career-ending leg injury in a fall at Worcester almost 12 months earlier.
During his career, Coleman won two Grade 1s with Jonbon and finished runner-up to Constitution Hill in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2022.
Jonbon is currently the market favourite to win the Champion Chase, but the nine-year-old is yet to win at the Festival after coming a comprehensive second to Constitution Hill before El Fabiolo triumphed over him in the 2023 Arkle.
The Clarence House Chase winner was absent from last year’s Festival after being pulled from the Champion Chase Field on the eve of the race.
It hasn’t gone to plan for Jonbon at Cheltenham, but this year, he leads the betting in the Champion Chase after victory at Ascot and the Tingle Creek Chase.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Star Sport, on behalf of bet365, Coleman gave trainer Henderson’s Jonbon his flowers before admitting he is vulnerable around Cheltenham despite backing him to end his Festival hoodoo.
He said: “Jonbon is a very special horse, and he’s starting to get the credit he deserves, in this generation, like in the horses that are around now, he is pretty unbeatable around Sandown or Aintree. He is beatable around Cheltenham.
“I don’t feel he’s at his best around there. But in saying that, I went through that Champion Chase numerous times from top to bottom. I can’t find what’s going to beat him.
“I know he might not be at his best, in my opinion around Cheltenham, but he is so far superior to the opposition, I can’t see really what is actually going to beat him.”
Jonbon is set to take on former Festival winner Marine Nationale and former Champions Chase winners Energumene and Captain Guinness in day two at Cheltenham on Wednesday.
