Jonbon dominates Energumene to win at Ascot

Jonbon ground Energumene into submission to land another fantastic triumph in the BetMGM Clarence House Chase at Ascot.

Nico de Boinville was positive from the outset and soon established an advantage at the head of affairs on the 8-13 favourite.

There was a point in the race where Nicky Henderson's charge was not so fluent at the fences and that allowed Paul Townend to close up on Energumene entering the home straight.

However, Jonbon kicked again and got his act together in the jumping department when it mattered most, galloping on strongly to prevail by six and a half lengths.

The JP McManus-owned nine-year-old made it 17 wins from 20 races under rules and strengthened his position as favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

William Hill now go 5-4 about Jonbon’s Cheltenham chances and while Henderson is not banking on a repeat in March, he felt the victory over a dual Champion Chase winner in Energumene was a perfect prep for the Festival.

He said: "It was always going to be a big match, two heavyweights fighting for a title.

"It was not the Champion Chase today, but that was for the right to head to Cheltenham as the one to beat and probable favourite.

"Energumene has been a very good horse over the years and he might be getting older, but he is still a very good horse and it was a nice, clean fight really.

"Jonbon is still quite young and he’s very professional now and his jumping is just so slick. I just loved the way he quickened up going to the last, he fought off the enemy and still wanted to make a good show of it and that was great.

"I think we were waiting for a bit of cat and mouse early on and to see who was going to make it. They are both natural front runners and Nico quite rightly grabbed hold