Update on Nico De Boinville’s leading Jockeys’ Cup contenders 

Nicky Henderson has provided an update from Seven Barrows on leading stars Constitution Hill and Jonbon ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. 

Both horses will spearhead stable jockey Nico De Boinville’s Jockeys’ Cup challenge over the four crucial days next month, with ITV showing six races each day. 

Speaking about 2023 Champion Hurdle winner and this year’s favourite Constitution Hill at a recent press day, Henderson explained: “We went into Kempton with half a mind that he could easily get beaten. If he did we felt if he got beaten then that we would be alright in March, but he was good at Kempton Park.  

“Cheltenham was something else though and that absolutely did me in. It was a no-win situation unless he did something, which he did do, by keeping everyone on their toes by trying to destroy a hurdle.

“The Willie Mullins racing festival didn’t tell us everything because they were going very hard that day (Lossiemouth and State Man) and it would have been fascinating to know what the end product was.  

“It has left more questions than answers as one of them was going to get beaten.

“The one good thing is he can travel off any pace. That pace Lossiemouth found difficult at Kempton Park was no worry to him as he can travel at a very high speed.  

“They will go hard, but I think his weapon is he can hold that.” 

Jonbon is an equally strong favourite, with the nine-time Grade 1 winner hoping to break a run of second-placed finishes at the Cheltenham Festival when he contests the Champion Chase. 

He was last seen in action when landing the Clarence House Chase at Ascot last month. 

Henderson said: “I think he did get the recognition he deserved at Ascot, it seemed like the world had got behind him and they were very good to him that day. 

“He is an entertaining character as well and he and Constitution Hill are so different. One is the most laid back you would ever come across and the other is a complete fuss pot and can’t stand still for two minutes. 

“You have got to win the Champion Chase to be a champion and he deserves to. He has won two Shloer Chases, and you can’t blame the Clarence House Chase defeat as him not acting around Cheltenham as he made one shocking mistake, which he was lucky to stand up from – you can’t count that against him.  

“He goes around anywhere. He loves Sandown, and we know that, but he enjoyed Ascot the other day and I thought that was a really good performance.”