Henry VIII Novices Chase: Jonbon dazzles Sandown spectators with straightforward success under Aidan Coleman | Racing News

Jonbon produced an exquisite round of jumping to land the Close Brothers Henry VIII Novices’ Chase in impressive fashion at Sandown.

The victory gives Nicky Henderson’s six-year-old a first Grade One success over fences to add to his top-table victory over hurdles at Aintree last season and was the perfect way to build on a taking fencing debut at Warwick last month.

On that occasion, the full-brother to Douvan put Monmiral to the sword with an exhibition of galloping and jumping and it was a similar scenario here as Aidan Coleman bounced out and made the running on the 2/11 favourite.

It was a case of marvelling at the sure-footed way Jonbon went from A to B for the early part of the race as 9/2 second-favourite Boothill was content to follow the Seven Barrows star as he navigated the famous Railway fences in textbook fashion.

Coleman was still to ask any questions landing over the Pond Fence with two to jump and it was at this point Boothill was persuaded by Johnny Burke to close the gap to the front-running favourite.

But there was hardly a moment of worry for the JP McManus-owned gelding who put the race to bed with a phenomenal leap at the last before accelerating to the line to take his race record to seven from eight, and leaving Constitution Hill as the only horse to have lowered his colours.

The victory strengthened his position as favourite for the Sporting Life Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival in March, with Coral, Betfair and Paddy Power all making Jonbon the 7/4 market leader from 2/1.

Henderson said: “He has a very high cruising speed and can quicken off it. Aidan shook the reins and off he’s gone.

“I would have thought one more would be enough before Cheltenham. There aren’t many options, although the Kingmaker (at Warwick) is one that comes to mind.

“Routine is everything for this horse’s mind. That’s why he goes off and does his own thing in the morning.

“In his races he’s so quick that he can dictate and he’s done everything right so far.

“To go whizzing round Sandown like that is not easy. I would love to know how far he will stay.”

Authorised Speed survives late scare to book Tolworth ticket

Authorised Speed survived a final-flight scare to book a return to Sandown for the Tolworth Hurdle by winning the Brian Giles Memorial “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle in impressive style at the Esher track.

This race was the starting point for the imperious Constitution Hill 12 months ago, and Gary Moore’s Champion Bumper fifth looks another above-average winner of the two-mile contest.

Having opened his hurdling account in facile fashion at Lingfield last month, the five-year-old was sent off the 1/3 favourite and as the race developed it became clear that Authorised Speed’s only danger would be the Nicky Henderson-trained second-favourite, Immortal.

Authorised Speed was beginning to stretch away and assert his dominance in the run to the last when briefly giving his rival hope with a bad blunder, but the winner was soon gathered up by Jamie Moore and pushed out for a six-and-a-half-length success.

Moore senior missed the race due to traffic issues, but Joshua Moore, who is assisting his father following his retirement from the saddle, was on hand to watch Authorised Speed storm to success and confirmed the progressive youngster will now be tested in Grade One company in the Tolworth Hurdle back at Sandown on January 7.