Dan Skelton's L’Eau Du Sud emerged victorious in the Henry VIII Novice Chase, while Nicky Henderson's Jonbon showcased remarkable resilience. On a challenging afternoon with Storm Darragh's last gusts, Jonbon overcame a sketchy jump at the second fence to join an elite group of two-milers with two wins in the Grade One Tingle Creek Chase.

Unstoppable Jonbon Leads British Jumping with Dual Tingle Creek Glory

Jonbon's Early Struggle and Late Dominance

The only significant moment of concern for Jonbon's supporters was his sketchy jump at the second fence. Sent off at 8-13 as the favourite, he showed great composure over the remaining obstacles. The foot-perfect trio of jumps at the Railway fences at the end of the back straight demonstrated his polished performance. Nico de Boinville's mount then surged into a clear lead between the final two fences and had a commanding eight-length advantage over Quilixios, a former Triumph Hurdle winner at Cheltenham's festival meeting.Jonbon's victory is a remarkable achievement, joining a list of dual winners that includes Moscow Flyer, Kauto Star, and Master Minded. He is still only eight years old and now holds the clear favourite status for this season's Champion Chase on 12 March at a top price of 11-4. This makes him one of the very few British-trained horses to lead the betting for a Grade One at next year's festival.

L’Eau Du Sud's Impressive Festival Betting

L’Eau Du Sud is also making waves in the festival betting, standing at 7-1 as the second-favourite for the two-mile Arkle Trophy on 11 March. After a convincing win in the British season's first Grade One novice chase, he remains unbeaten over fences. Skelton attributed his performance to the challenging ground conditions, stating that "he just got quite stuck in the ground. It's hard work out there and there was an unanswered question as he's never been in the position where he's had to fight."

Henderson's Insights on Jonbon

Nicky Henderson praised Jonbon's tenacity, saying, "That first ditch [the second fence], he's jumped it so many times, you'd think he'd know that there isn't a crocodile in there. But today, there was for him. He was up for a battle today. He wanted the battle even earlier than Nico wanted it. He is just a real true terrier, a very classy terrier, he just loves a scrap and wants to go faster the whole way."The plan now is for Jonbon to compete in the Clarence House at Ascot in January and potentially face rivals from Ireland. Henderson is confident that Jonbon is at the top of his game and ready to continue his winning streak.Jonbon's career record of 16 wins from 19 starts and a perfect five-from-five record at Sandown is a testament to his exceptional ability. He is a clear standard-bearer for British jumping, inspiring future generations of jockeys and trainers.