Shloer Chase Runners Guide: Analysing The Quartet In Contention
The feature race on Friday at Cheltenham is the Shloer Chase, in which we will see Jonbon make his seasonal return. The top two mile chaser in Britain will be the great hope of the home side later this year in the Champion Chase, unless something appears out of the woodwork to topple him. His first quest is seeing off four rivals here...
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Jonbon - 4/11 Fav - OR: 170 - Wgt: 11"10
It was a real shame to see Jonbon, along with plenty of other Seven Barrows stars, having to miss last season's Cheltenham Festival due to the cloud lingering around the yard last March. Who knows whether a peak form Jonbon would've got the job done with El Fabiolo - his conqueror in the 2023 Arkle - bombing out early, but the horse proved he was still at the top of the tree in Britain by winning post Cheltenham at Aintree and Sandown.
Nicky Henderson's stars on seasonal debut this season have been a bit of a mixed bag, including the controversial flop of Jeriko Du Reponet last week, however Jonbon is reportedly in rude health and as last season's winner of this race first time out, he is the one they all have to beat. At his best he is a hugely classy two mile chaser, with brilliant jumping and a high cruising speed coupled with a clear love for the game. Hopefully we see Jonbon at his very best on Friday and it is the start of his journey to redemption in the 2025 Champion Chase.
Edwardstone - 16/5 - OR: 164 - Wgt: 11"10
Now a ten year old and probably past his best truth be told, Edwardstone was a few seasons back seen as the best of British in this division after winning the 2022 Arkle Chase. He has a solid enough record fresh, winning the Tingle Creek in fine fashion in late 2022 before chasing Jonbon home in this race last year on seasonal debut, so that is not something that can be thrown at him, however he has chucked in a few shocking jumps throughout his open chasing career which have cost him big time and with such a high class rival as Jonbon, who has beaten him fair and square before, it is hard to fancy him.
Last season he was winless barring a stunning all the way success in Newbury's Game Spirit Chase, the first time we saw him as a front runner rather than a stalker and a change which seemed to work wonders. After that race many quietly fancied him for the Champion Chase off the front end but he was beaten when falling two out so it is tough to know if he will adopt similar tactics again in this veteran campaign as he is ten turning eleven. There are potential pace rivals in here despite the small field, so second may be the position Alan King decides his charge should play for and to wait patiently and see if Jonbon falters.
Boothill - 15/2 - OR: 158 - Wgt: 11"08
Harry Fry's Boothill had a season that started with promise but fell off rapidly in 2023/24, with two wins to kickstart his campaign followed by two falls and a wide margin defeat to wrap up his campaign in the spring. In the season prior he also won his first two starts before tapering off somewhat, which could give encouragement that now is the time to back him given he clearly is a late autumn horse who thrives fresh.
In the aforementioned Game Sprit in which Edwardstone romped to glory, Boothill was in second place (nine lengths down) when taking a tumble at the second last. It looked pretty unlikely he would reel in the long time leader, but perhaps he could've got closer than the eventual second managed. After that second tumble in a row he was given a bit of a break before coming back for the Celebration Chase at Sandown, won by Jonbon. Finishing seven lengths back in fourth was no disgrace for this horse, however without Jonbon bombing out here it's tough to see him in the shakeup unless Edwardstone also has an off day or Boothill at nine has improved considerably for his summer break.
Unexpected Party - 16/1 - OR: 146 - Wgt: 11"8
This looks a shrewd bit of placing from Dan Skelton in his quest to be champion trainer for the first time, with Unexpected Party set to bag a chunky £5,330 if he finishes in dead last in this race. Obviously, the team will be sending him there to win as every set of connections do, but on ratings and on what we've seen already this season from the 2023 Grand Annual winner he is really up against it here.
He has been beaten, albeit running with credit, at both Aintree and Carlisle so far this season by horses stones below the level of Jonbon and while the Skelton yard are trying to become more of a graded horses yard than just handicap plots, they will realise this horse's limitation and a creditable fourth place in here would do him no harm in terms of getting the mark down. Of course if the other three underperform, he will have a go, but don't expect Harry Skelton to be his usual excited self on this lad.
Predicted Shloer Chase 1-2-3
No prizes for originality with my predicted finishing order, but hopefully we see Edwardstone and Boothill have a right ding dong battle around Prestbury Park for the lead before Jonbon shows his class and comes late to take the race out en route to a crack at the Champion Chase.
- Jonbon
- Edwardstone
- Boothill
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