Right, let’s talk about Jonbon.

If you watched the Clarence House Chase on Saturday, you probably went through the same rollercoaster as the rest of us. One minute he looked completely cooked—flat-footed, outpaced, and frankly, a bit slow. The next, he’s engaging a turbocharger we didn’t know he still had, grinding Thistle Ask into the Ascot mud and winning going away.

It wasn’t pretty, but my word, it was effective. And if you look under the bonnet at the numbers, it tells us exactly where his future lies.

The Clock Doesn’t Lie

Visually, it looked like Jonbon was struggling. But the data says something different: he wasn’t slow; the race was suicidal.

The sectionals show Thistle Ask went off like a scalded cat, setting a pace that broke the field (and ultimately himself). Jonbon’s “flat spot” wasn’t him giving up; it was him hitting his aerobic red line. But because his engine is absolutely massive (we’re talking a Top Speed figure of 159 on soft ground), he could keep galloping when the others’ tanks hit empty.

The most telling stat? Jumping efficiency. Jonbon actually lost nearly 4 lengths in the air compared to Thistle Ask. He was technically worse at every fence, yet he still won. That is purely down to lung capacity. He simply out-stayed them.

Forget the Champion Chase

Nicky Henderson has pretty much confirmed what the data has been screaming at us: the two-mile speed days are over.

If you put Jonbon in a Champion Chase against pure speedballs who can jump fast and keep accelerating, he’ll get taken off his feet. He can’t afford to lose 4 lengths jumping when the pace is that hot.

But the Ryanair Chase? That is a different kettle of fish.

Why He’s Your Ryanair Banker

Stepping up to 2m5f looks like the masterstroke we’ve been waiting for.

• Slower Rhythm: The slightly steadier pace of a mid-distance race will let him measure his fences better, sorting out those jumping errors.
• The Grind: The Ryanair is often a war of attrition. That’s Jonbon’s new game. He can cruise at a high speed that will break the hearts of lesser stayers.
• The Prep: Henderson is eyeing the Ascot Chase in February next. If he goes there and wins over 2m5f, his price for the Ryanair will collapse.

The Verdict

The flashiness might be fading, but the grit is stronger than ever. Jonbon isn’t a Ferrari anymore; he’s a Land Rover Defender with a V8 engine. It might rattle a bit, but it’ll get you up the hill.

My advice: If you can still get a decent price on him for the Ryanair, take it. And keep a close eye on Thistle Ask for a 2-mile race on decent ground—he’s a rocket waiting for the right runway.