Jonbon (4-6 Fav) put the disappointment of last month’s Cheltenham Festival behind him as he recorded a repeat victory in the highlight of Ladies Day, the Grade One My Pension Expert Melling Chase.

The JP McManus-owned nine-year-old made all to see off Protektorat by three and a quarter lengths with his closest rival in the market, El Fabiolo (5-2,) having fallen at the 11th fence. It was his fourth consecutive success at the Randox Grand National Festival, having won the Top Novices’ Hurdle in 2022 and Maghull Novices’ Hurdle in 2023.

Nicky Henderson: “You’ve got to admire two things there - the horse is amazing when he’s doing that, and Nico. He’s been very brave, because it’s been a tough little session, and to go out and ride him like that, that’s a guy who had no fears.

“They went some clip - I don’t know what the time was, but it must have been quick. Whether he’s short or long [at his fences] - he’s very clever when he dances, isn’t he? To be able to do that - when he’s long it’s great, and when he’s short, he’s just very quick and in and out.

“It just went all wrong at Cheltenham, and it was proved today, he just loves doing that. That’s what he does best. At Cheltenham the start went wrong, and he was on the back foot the whole way. He loves his own space. It was unfortunate, the tape went straight across his face and he went backwards.

“That was some gallop. Not many horses can jump that well that fast.

“We’ll certainly think about going to Sandown again.

“Constitution Hill is fine this morning, he’s back home at Seven Barrows in his box, and he trotted up sound, not a bother on him. Our vets and the physios have been all over him. Our intention is take him to Punchestown if we can; we’ll see how he is that’s the plan at the moment.”

Nico de Boinville, the winning rider, said: “There was a lot riding on that and Jonbon has gets us out of trouble again. You would have said it would be a tough week for us, but all credit to the staff and particularly to the governor and ‘JP’ and his team.

“They kept the faith in us. We had to pick ourselves up again after yesterday, but luckily I’ve got really nice horses to ride like Jonbon, and he's an absolute superstar.

“He was a very different horse to the one I rode at Cheltenham. He really enjoyed it out there and you could see that when he’s on song he loves his jumping and can come up from anywhere.

“It’s a tough place to be but you just have to roll with the punches and pick yourself up.”

Dan Skelton, trainer of the runner-up Protektorat, said: “He was brilliant.

“We always say he will turn up for us and do his best and he did.

“We have tried to beat Jonbon how many times and never have.

“We are not as good as Jonbon but that doesn’t mean we are not extraordinarily proud of our horse.

“He always puts his best foot forward and he has had a great year.

“He has come back in ears pricked and we can’t wait to do it all again with him next season.”