- Jonbon was pulled out of the feature Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
- There were a string of poor results for Henderson’s horses on day one of event
Trainer Nicky Henderson has pulled Jonbon out of today’s feature Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase after a string of poor results on the opening day of the Festival.
The Lambourn trainer has also pulled Shishkin out of Friday’s Gold Cup after announcing he had scoped badly this morning.
Henderson went into the meeting with a question a cloud over his string after having to withdraw 2023 Champion Hurdle winner Constitution Hill who was found to have a respiratory illness disappointing run of form from his stable as a whole.
Luccia provided him with a boost when finishing third behind State Man in the Champion Hurdle, but his other five runners on Tuesday were all pulled up.
In a statement Henderson: ‘I’m afraid we have had to make some very tough decisions following the very disappointing performances of all bar one of our horses yesterday.
Nicky Henderson has revealed that Shishkin is out of the Gold Cup at Cheltenham later this week
Henderson has withdrawn three runners from running at Cheltenham on Wednesday, including Jonbon
Jonbon (pictured) was one of three horses withdrawn from running on Wednesday, alongside First Street and Kingston Pride
‘It was there for all to see that there is obviously something affecting nearly all our horses and consequently we have reluctantly decided that Jonbon, First Street and Kingston Pride will not run today.
‘It is impossible to identify any reason for all the disappointments and none of these horses have given us any cause for concern and all yesterday’s runners were scoped clean post race and I am glad to say all are sound this morning.
‘There will unfortunately be further non-runners on Thursday and Friday.
‘I hope everybody will appreciate that we have to do this in everybody’s interests, particularly the horses. It is very, very disappointing for everybody.’
It is a devastating turn of event for Britain’s most successful Festival trainer.
Henderson has pulled First Street out of today’s Coral Cup and will not run Champ in tomorrow’s Stayers’ Hurdle but so far he has not scratched Sir Gino, one of his big hopes of the week in Friday’s Triumph Hurdle.
His remaining runners today are Jingko Blue (Gallaghers Novices’ Hurdle), Doddiethegreat and Lucky Place (Coral Cup) and Kingston Pride (Festival Bumper).
