One of the key afternoons in the jumps campaign at Sandown comes up on Saturday as the Esher venue stages day two of their Tingle Creek Festival.
The Grade 1 two-miler will see Jonbon attempting to become only the fourth horse this century to win successive renewals after Flagship Uberalles, Moscow Flyer and Kauto Star.
The Tingle Creek goes off at 15:00, with seven races in all at Sandown from 12:08-15:35.
We've previewed the big race as well as some of the supporting action, including the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase.
15:00 - Tingle Creek Chase
A race that centres on last year's winner JONBON, who will attempt to win for a second time and join the likes of Moscow Flyer, Kauto Star, Master Minded, Sire De Grugy and Politologue on the recent list of two-time Tingle Creek winners.
The Nicky Henderson-trained star has won 10 of his 12 starts over fences and only three horses have beaten him over jumps. Constitution Hill did it over timber in the Supreme Novices', while it was El Fabiolo in the Arkle back at Cheltenham a year later in 2023.
He won 5-6 last term as a second-season chaser, his only blemish when denied by a neck in the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase at Cheltenham in January by Elixir De Nutz. That run could be upgraded significantly as Jonbon all but unseated James Bowen with a shuddering mistake four fences from home and he did remarkably well to go as close as he did.
Grade 1 wins at Aintree (2m4f, soft) and here over C&D saw him signing off in style and he beat Boothill into second in the Shloer Chase in last month's comeback at Cheltenham, with fellow re-opposing rivals Edwardstone and Unexpected Party completing the field.
That was as good a jumping performance as Jonbon has delivered and his trainer anticipates improvement to come from it, so there is no real reason to suspect any of that trio will have his measure now.
That being the case, the biggest danger on paper could be Irish raider Quilixios for Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O'Keefe.
He was short of top class as a novice over fences last season when it came to the spring festivals, but his comeback at Naas (2m, good to yielding) recently saw him giving 4lb and a beating to the still highly thought of Marine Nationale. Even on the strength of that, he has work to do on ratings to trouble Jonbon.
The same must be said of JPR One, Master Chewy and Solness. The last-named, trained by Joseph O'Brien, has run well in Grade 2s in Ireland over 2m5f/2m recently and gave Found A Fifty something to ponder at Navan in a contest in which the Champion Chase winner Captain Guinness was pulled up and Banbridge tailed off.
JPR One bagged the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter last month for Joe Tizzard and Brendan Powell and did so with more to spare than the winning margin suggested.
He ran well for a long way in the Grade 1 novice chase over C&D on this card a year ago, but was undone by a mistake at the second last as he finished third. He looked an improved model at Exeter and may still have more to offer.
Edwardstone and Boothill are rated higher, but they've had one crack at Jonbon already to little effect and this younger rival might be the one to pick off the silver medal.
SELECTION: JONBON
NEXT BEST: JPR ONE
12:08 - Claremont Novices' Hurdle
An interesting move from Dan Skelton to target this Listed contest with once-raced hurdler HONKY TONK HIGHWAY.
The Milan mare won her sole point-to-point and then beat a decent sort on bumper debut here back in March before coming up short in a Grade 2 at Aintree.
She had a wind op in the summer and debuted over timber last month at Warwick (2m3f, good to soft) in a novice event. Ultimately, she was denied by That's Nice and finished second but there was lots to like.
Harry Skelton got to the front three flights from the end and his partner appeared to get a bit lonely once in the lead.
The Nicky Henderson-trained winner picked them off quite comfortably, but that JP McManus newcomer could prove well above average in time and the pair were 20-lengths clear. She likes it here and can build on that pleasing start to beat the boys now.
Admiral Stewart for Jamie Snowden, Hartington for Joe Tizzard and the Evan Williams-trained Juby Ball are all respected. The first two have winning experience over timber but course bumper second Juby Ball has the credentials to make a bright start in this sphere.
SELECTION: HONKY TONK HIGHWAY
NEXT BEST: JUBY BALL
13:50 - Henry VIII Novices' Chase
The Grade 1 novices' preamble to the Tingle Creek often sees a star of the future strutting their stuff over Sandown's iconic Railway Fences and L'EAU DU SUD could be just that for Dan and Harry Skelton now.
He looked a smart chasing prospect when scoring at Stratford over further on debut over these obstacles in late October and followed up in a common canter in a Grade 2 Arkle Trial at Cheltenham's November Meeting.
He was above average last term over hurdles and now looks destined to be one of Britain's best novice prospects this time around over fences.
Rubaud has been thriving over timber and goes in at the deep end on chasing introduction for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden, a decision they surely won't have made lightly, so he is one to watch.
Down Memory Lane (Mark Walsh) and Touch Me Not (Jordan Gainford) were both impressive chase winners in Ireland last month for Gordon Elliott and it's interesting to see the Cullentra handler coming here with a two-pronged challenge.
The former could go well, looking to give owner JP McManus a pre-Tingle Creek boost.
SELECTION: L'EAU DU SUD
NEXT: DOWN MEMORY LANE
