Jonbon Wins Schloer Chase For Third Time

Jonbon (1/2 favourite) won the £100,000 Grade 2 Schloer Chase for a third time on Friday afternoon.

The J.P. McManus-owned gelding took his race record to 21 wins from 29 races in claiming the Cheltenham highlight.

The 10-year-old previously landed the two-mile contest in 2023 and 2024, while he was runner-up in the 2025 renewal.

Ridden by McManus’ new retained jockey, Harry Cobden, Jonbon made all, seeing off a challenge from Mighty Bandit after the last to score by two and a quarter lengths.

The winning trainer Nicky Henderson said:

“Some still say Cheltenham is not his favourite place, but he’s won this for the third time now. It’s lovely to see him back and I think he’s exactly where we want him to be as we’ve got three weeks now until the Tingle Creek (as Sandown Park). That’s the plan.

“I am very proud he has never been out of the first two. That’s going to be a hard one to hold on to. I think it’s a remarkable record, because they’ve nearly all been in Grade Ones or Grade Twos. He has been amazing and just keeps coming out year after year. Age doesn’t seem to be worrying him.”

Commenting on Jonbon, Harry Cobden stated:

“He is the most fantastic horse. I’ve spent the last five years following him round and I never thought I would get to ride him. He’s a wonderful horse, a brilliant jumper and incredibly intelligent. I am just the lucky man on his back.

“Today was obviously his first run back and historically all of Nicky’s horses improve a bit for the run, so I was a little bit conscious of that and didn’t want to send him on too much. But he’s done it well hasn’t he? He is the sort of horse at 10 years old that only does what he has to do and the further we went, the better.”