Shloer Chase 2026 runners: Jonbon heads field of seven

Jonbon will try to win the Shloer Chase for a third time when he heads a field of seven for the Grade 2 two-miler on the opening day of Cheltenham’s November Meeting on Friday 13 November (2.20pm).

Nicky Henderson’s ten-year-old is a top price of evens to win back the race he took in 2023 and 2024, but the going is the first thing worth checking. Cheltenham was good, good to firm in places on Monday, with watering under way. Jonbon was taken out of the Celebration Chase at Sandown in April because of the ground, and it was described in almost identical terms that day.

Last year’s winner L’Eau Du Sud is not among the seven after being ruled out for the season last week, which leaves Jonbon with the highest official rating in the race by 4lb. He has to give 6lb to every rival, though, The Shloer Chase is run over 1m7f199y on the Old Course, is worth £56,950 to the winner and is live on Racing TV.

Shloer Chase 2026 runners and riders

Prices are the best available on Monday 9 November. Jockeys are yet to be confirmed for most of the field.

Jonbon (Nicky Henderson, evens)

Jonbon is the class act. He won this race at 4/9 and 1/3 in the two years before last season’s defeat, and he bounced back from runner-up finishes here and in the Tingle Creek to win the Clarence House Chase and the Ascot Chase over 2m5f. He then finished second in the Ryanair Chase, beaten ten lengths at 2/1.

That is solid Grade 1 form, but he hasn’t run since March, he is ten, and he was beaten 15 lengths in this race 12 months ago when sent off 5/6. Add the doubt about the ground and many will recoil from backing him at the price. If the going eases, he becomes a much stronger favourite.

Gidleigh Park (Harry Fry, 6/1)

Harry Fry’s eight-year-old is a course-and-distance winner and his peak performances have indicated what he can do on his day. Last season didn’t produce many of those days, sadly. He was nine lengths second in the 1965 Chase at Ascot, pulled up in the Clarence House Chase after Bryan Carver reported he jumped poorly and ran flat, then weakened into fifth in the Melling Chase at Aintree.

He has been off since April. At 4/1 in places, he is priced on what he might be rather than what he showed last season.

Libberty Hunter (Mrs C Williams, 6/1)

Libberty Hunter ran the race of his life when second at 50/1 in the Champion Chase in March, staying on past beaten horses despite nearly unseating his rider at the first. That followed third in the Game Spirit at Newbury, so although it was a career best it was not a complete bolt from the blue.

Jumping is his problem. He unseated Harry Cobden at the sixth in this race last year and made a bad mistake when beaten 24 lengths in the Tingle Creek. His Champion Chase run says he has a say if he gets round, but that is a big if.

Saint Segal (Jane Williams, 7/1)

Saint Segal likes to go from the front, so he should decide how the race is run. He was second in the Desert Orchid Chase and the Game Spirit last season before things went wrong in the spring. He made a bad mistake at the first and was pulled up in the Champion Chase, then pulled up again in the Melling Chase.

His return at Ffos Las last month was better. He led until two out over 2m3f on soft ground before fading into fourth. Ciaran Gethings keeps the ride, and one suspects Saint Segal sets the race up for something else.

Mighty Bandit (Warren Greatrex, 7/1)

The youngest in the field at six, Mighty Bandit improved quickly over fences last winter. He won three handicaps in a row at Newbury and Doncaster, making all twice, before stepping up to Grade 1 company in the Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree.

He was fourth there, but it was better than the bare result. He lost his position mid-race, was hampered by a faller three out and stayed on well from the second-last. He is rated 151, so he needs to improve again, but he is the one runner open to a big leap forward. Most of his best form has come on soft ground, which he is unlikely to get.

JPR One (Joe Tizzard, 8/1)

JPR One has been busy this autumn, and that could be the key to the race. He won over this course and distance on 23 October carrying 12st, with Calico back in fourth, then finished second in the Haldon Gold Cup last Friday while giving the winner Rubaud 17lb. The 9/4 favourite Mirabad was behind him.

His spring form fits this race too. He was beaten a head by Edwardstone in the Celebration Chase on good, good to firm ground, four lengths clear of the 5/4 favourite Solness, and he was fourth in both the Ryanair and Melling Chases.

The 6lb he receives from Jonbon more than wipes out the 4lb between them on official ratings. The worry is the quick turnaround. Friday comes just seven days after the Haldon, and he took a keen hold there while also backing up quickly from his previous victory.

Calico (Dan Skelton, 12/1)

Dan Skelton has won three of the last five runnings, with Nube Negra twice and L’Eau Du Sud, but Calico looks the weakest of his recent runners in the race. He is a course-and-distance winner and won two handicaps last autumn, yet he is rated 148, the lowest in the field by 3lb, and he finished behind JPR One here last month.