Jonbon Completes Grade 1 Aintree Double For Walk In The Park

Jonbon (8g Walk In The Park – Star Face, by Saint Des Saints) completed a Grade 1 double for Walk In The Park when justifying favouritism in Friday’s Melling Chase at Aintree.

Nicky Henderson’s charge stepped up to two and a half miles as he attempted to record his sixth Grade 1 success, with Nico de Boinville adopting the bay’s regular tactics of racing prominently. Ridden to lead approaching the final fence, he kept on well to deny Conflated (Yeats) by a length and a quarter.

“He had to be brave,” de Boinville said after the race. “He's a classy animal and I'm delighted to be riding him. I think two and a half or two miles is his trip and I'd just like to mention [the recently retired] Aidan Coleman as this would have been his ride.”

Henderson later described Jonbon as “special,” adding, “Everybody loves him. He's been a really good fella all the way through.”

Friday’s victory saw Jonbon extend his impressive record to 13 wins and three seconds from 16 career starts. His debut win came in the card of Ellmarie Holden, who subsequently sold the son of Walk In The Park for £570,000. The Lotfi Kohli-bred brother to Douvan (Walk In The Park) completed a Grade 1 treble on the day for JP McManus, who was earlier successful with Mystical Power (Galileo) and Inothewayurthinkin (Walk In The Park).