Jonbon wins third Shloer Chase as Cheltenham ground concerns reduce fields

Jonbon won the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham on Friday for the third time in four seasons, extending a career record of finishing first or second in every start under National Hunt rules. The Guardian reported that he led throughout and finished two and a quarter lengths clear, taking his uninterrupted run of top-two finishes to 29 races.

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The victory came against a reduced field after Gidleigh Park was withdrawn a couple of hours before the race because of concerns about drying ground. Harry Fry's runner had been second favourite that morning, but his absence left Jonbon facing just two opponents. Jonbon started at odds of 1-2 and jumped accurately on his way to another success in the race.

The result added to a record that has included near misses at Cheltenham's biggest meeting. Jonbon has finished second on all four of his appearances at the March festival, according to the Guardian. He will be 11 by the time the next festival takes place, but Friday's performance maintained the consistency that has characterised his career over hurdles and fences.

Conditions were a wider issue across the opening card. Nine horses were withdrawn in total, including two prominent contenders for the Listed novice chase. The official going was initially described as good, good-to-soft in places, before being changed to good later in the afternoon. Gidleigh Park's withdrawal was therefore one part of a broader reduction in runners at the meeting.

There were also disruptions unrelated to the size of the fields. Runners in the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle had to bypass several obstacles because of low sun, while horses were reported to have slipped on the bend into the straight. Those incidents accompanied the ground concerns on a day when Jonbon's race provided one of the principal results.

An unexpected overnight frost complicated the course's response to the drying surface. The Guardian reported that overnight watering was not an option because a repeat of the previous night's temperatures could leave the track frozen. Cheltenham consequently faced the prospect of further withdrawals before Saturday's card, which includes the Paddy Power Gold Cup.