JP McManus' record purchase Jonbon was replaced as Arkle favourite, after being pushed close in a two horse race in the Virgin Bet Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick.
Sent off at 1/16 - with just Dan Skelton’s Calico for company following the morning withdrawal of two others - his trademark zip appeared to be absent at times.
Aidan Coleman sent Nicky Henderson trained horse into an early lead and while he was doing things easily enough, he just couldn't shake Calico.
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Halfway down the back straight Harry Skelton sensed an opportunity and sent Calico up Jonbon’s inside, met the next fence on a perfect stride and soon found himself three lengths clear.
It took Jonbon, a record £540,000 purchase for McManus, a couple of fences to realise he had a race on his hands and Coleman was happy to challenge around Calico’s outside on the final bend.
Once in front the race was never in doubt, but was rather workmanlike in winning by five and a half lengths.
He was pushed out by the bookmakers for the Arkle at Cheltenham next month, with Betfair going 2-1 from 11-8 and making Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo their 11-10 favourite. Coral make El Fabiolo their 5-4 favourite from 7-4, with Jonbon out to 13-8 from even money.
“It was a prep run and we knew we had plenty to work on,” said Coleman.
“We schooled him the other morning and he schooled very well, but he was very fresh.
“He jumped super again there, I was just coming down to that fence there and we were going an honest gallop and I didn’t want to be pressing on too much considering it’s a trial. Harry set his alight and winged it and although he didn’t make a mistake, Harry got going and I was somewhat chasing him a little.
“But I was always quite confident from three-quarters of a mile out – I met the next three fences well and put it to bed well. He was probably a bit rusty, but he won well on the line and I was happy with him.
“It’s the exact same thing (as Haydock last year). We’re coming here with something to work on and not trained for this in particular. Look, he came here ready to win and we were sweet on him, but it is a trial for the Arkle and that’s why we are here. It was the exact same in Haydock last year.
“He likes good ground and he was fine on it. I was very happy with him. It was still a good performance and he got the job done.”
On shifting right at his fences he added: “He only did it once and that happens a lot at that third one away from the stands. You’re coming into it on a bend and he was a bit right there.
“It probably looks somewhat worse than it was and when you straighten up you have to get him back on the near lead and get him going forward. The odd time he can shimmy left, he’s just a very clever and accurate and sometimes he does just adjust one way.”
Henderson was at Newbury, where he said: “I’m going to look on the bright side. Because he’s had such easy races I think he got taken by surprise when the other horse attacked him.
“He just sort of shook his head. It will do him no harm as he hasn’t had a race since Aintree last year. I’m going to look on the bright side.
“That was his prep and by the looks it shook him a little bit, but I’ll talk to Aidan.”
Sir Anthony McCoy, representing winning owner JP McManus, said: “They’re all contenders and we’ll have to see, but he’s trained by a man who knows more about training horses like that than I do.
“He was happy with him and you would imagine he is looking at March and not today. I would say he was just ready to have a run – he looked a bit rusty. The Arkle is in March, not today.
“He isn’t going to win an Arkle running like that, but that isn’t the Arkle. I wasn’t worried watching him and he actually won quite well in the end.
“He’s grand, he won and he will have learnt a little bit more from that today.
“The Arkle will be different and he will need to be sharper than that, but the man who trains him knows what he’s doing and you’re just going to let him get on with doing his thing.
“March is what he’s being trained for.”
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