Fan favourite Jonbon backed to win the Arkle after victory on chasing debut

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Jonbon built up quite the fanbase in the 2021-22 National Hunt racing season, winning on his debut over hurdles by six lengths at Newbury 12 months ago — following that up with two Group 2 successes in Novices’ Hurdles at Ascot and Haydock in December and January respectively.

All roads then led to the Cheltenham Festival, where the Nicky Henderson-trained horse would take on his Seven Burrows stablemate Constitution Hill in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Coming in behind joint-leaders Constitution Hill and Dysart Dynamo in the horse racing odds, Jonbon was heavily backed at 5/1. But he was left in the wake of his stable companion, finishing 22 lengths adrift as Constitution Hill set a new record time for the two-mile, half-a-furlong race.

The now six-year-old returned to winning ways on his last outing of the season, beating El Fabiolo over the line in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at the Aintree Grand National Festival to win his maiden Group 1 contest by a neck.

It was confirmed by Henderson before that trip to Merseyside that legendary owner JP McManus’ record purchase — costing the former Manchester United stakeholder a massive £570,000 at the sales in 2020 — would go Novice Chasing this campaign, and Jonbon has thrilled his large supporter’s group and scared the bookmakers with his debut over fences at Warwick on November 16.

In fact, those who backed Jonbon in the racing tips to win the Arkle at March’s Festival at very lucrative odds were treated to an early payout — as Paddy Power counted their losses before the six-year-old even jumped a fence competitively, paying out on singles after a video of Jonbon schooling incredibly well circulated on social media.