Jonbon and Energumene are on course to meet in what Nicky Henderson anticipates will be a “big battle” for the BetMGM Clarence House Chase crown at Ascot on Saturday.
Henderson’s Jonbon is looking to cement his position at the head of the betting for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham by adding to his already impressive haul of Grade One victories.
In 19 career starts for the Seven Barrows team he has won 16, with his only defeats coming against Constitution Hill in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, El Fabiolo in the Arkle and Elixir De Nutz in this race when it was rearranged for Cheltenham last season, when he almost fell on more than one occasion.
It will be the first meeting between Jonbon and the Willie Mullins-trained Energumene, who won the Champion Chase in both 2022 and 2023 but was sidelined for the entirety of last season before making a winning return at Cork last month.
Henderson and Mullins are treading familiar ground in their clash of stars, with Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth having lined up for the pair respectively in a Christmas Hurdle that proved to be one of the highlights of the festive period.
Henderson said: “This could be a big battle and it’s great for the game. Just like over Christmas, high-class horses taking on high-class horses. I hope it’s a race that people can look forward to, it should get pretty star billing.
“We’re looking forward to it and it’s all systems go. In the Tingle Creek the other day the crowd really got behind him, which is nice. He deserves it. He’s been playing at the top table for quite a while now, he used to be the young buck coming in.”
Energumene is no stranger to Ascot’s Clarence House Chase, as Willie Mullins sent him over from Closutton for it in 2022 when he went head-to-head with another Seven Barrows superstar, the late Shishkin.
The race has been remembered as one of the best at Ascot in recent years, with Energumene going down by a length as Shishkin’s famous late surge proved too much for him.
Revenge awaited at Cheltenham, though, as with Shishkin pulled up early, Energumene won his first Champion Chase with ease
Henderson recalled: “That was one of the great races of all-time, it was billed as that and it lived up to that, which was terrific. Well, it was terrific for us, I don’t think Willie enjoyed it as much as we did! It was going their way and then it came back to go our way at the end.
“Energumene was impressive on his comeback run a few weeks ago, so it looks as if we’re going to have a re-do, but it will be Jonbon who’s going to have to do battle with him.
“The interesting thing there is that Jonbon’s very happy up there (with the pace), they could be going a right good gallop, it could be an attacking game! This could be brewing up for another historic renewal.”
Old rivals Edwardstone (Alan King) and Boothill (Harry Fry) are also in the mix, while a fascinating potential runner is Evan Williams’ Libberty Hunter.
The nine-year-old was second in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham and then third in Grade One novice company at Aintree, but looked an improved horse when easily winning on his comeback.
Dan Skelton’s Grand Annual winner Unexpected Party completes the list of six possibles.