Grand National Festival: Jonbon jumps purely to keep Melling Chase Crown in Aintrea under Nico de Boinville

Jonbon landed 10th grade in his career because he certainly kept his retirement expert Melling Chase Crown in Aintree.

Nicky Henderson 4/6 Favorita came to absent when it is expected to chase a champion in Cheltenham, and he has to fight for a glanting second after a bad mistake in the start has agreed on problems.

Only four went to post for this two and a half mile task, and Nico de Boinville did not need much before he turned the heat in front.

Willie Mullins’ El Fabiolo was considered to be her key rival, but when he came to sadness, Jonbon remained to see the protects of Skelton’s day to go out, which he neatly did, three and quarter of the length.

Liberated Henderson – who endured another fall for the constitutional hill on the opening day – said: “The horse is amazing when he is doing it, and Nico was very brave because it was a heavy little session for all of us. To go out and ride it like that, it was a guy who had no fear.

“The Champion Chase does not make him succeed. It’s a shame because he was just wrong in Cheltenham. The beginning went wrong because the ribbon literally crossed his face, went back and then on the back leg of the word go.

“He proved today that he loves to do it. He likes his own space, like many of us, but the horse believes Nico and Nico believes the horse. They know each other well and look nice to watch.”

On a potential slope with King George next season, he said, “Nothing is impossible. At the end of last year, JP (McManus) said:” We are two milters and we will stay for two miles for this year, “but we actually reached Aintree and went two and a half. You would be a brave man to drive him that way, but who knows?

“He gets these two and a half well and today they have fallen apart. In the end, he tired a little, but any horse would start quickly.

“He won the celebration of the celebration twice (in Sandown) and we will look at her. He went and won after this race last year, but then he didn’t go to Cheltenham. We’ll see.”

In the meantime, the proud Skelton said of the protectory: “We always say that before his races he will appear for us and do his best, and he repeated.

“We tried to beat Jonbon, I don’t know how many times now we’re not as good as he is, that’s as simple – that doesn’t mean we’re not unusually proud of our horse.

“He always puts his best foot forward and he had a great year. He didn’t quite get so far in the field in Ryanair how we hoped, but he returned to the ears of my ears and I couldn’t wait to do it all next year.”