Sport Question

For readers unfamiliar with the name, Jonbon is a nine-year-old gelding, owned by John ‘J.P.’ McManus and trainer by Nicky Henderson, who, at the time of writing, is odds-on favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 12, 2025. The son of Walk In The Park began his racing career with a winning debut in a maiden point-to-point at Dromhane, County Cork, when trained by Ellmarie Holden, and has since won 17 of his 20 starts under Rules for Nicky Henderson.

Jonbon suffered the first defeat of his career when comprehensively outpointed by stable companion Constitution Hill in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival, going down by 22 lengths, although he was still good enough to finish second. He was second again on his return to the Cheltenham Festival in 2023, jumping slightly left throughout the Arkle Challenge Trophy and finishing 5½ lengths behind El Fabiolo. Lo and behold, five starts later, he was second again, again at Cheltenham, not at the Festival but in the hastily rearranged Clarence House Chase in January 2024. In truth, while beaten a neck by the 14lb-inferior Elixir Du Nutz, at odds of 1/4, he was lucky to complete the course at all, having blundered badly at the fourth-last fence on the New Course.

So, while few would argue that Jonbon is the leading two-mile steeplechaser on either side of the Irish Sea, anyone looking to take him on in the Queen Mother Champion Chase can take some solace that he is just 2-5 at Cheltenham, with both wins coming in Grade 2 contests. On the other side of the coin, he is officially rated 170, has 10 Grade 1 wins to his name and has yet to finish out of the first two.

The feature race on day two of the Cheltenham Festival, Queen Mother Champion Chase is, nowadays, worth £400,000 in prize money (36% less than the Cheltenham Gold Cup), yet has attracted a double-figure field just twice in the last ten years. Nevertheless, the two-mile chasing championship – which is actually run over fractionally short of the official minimum distance on the Old Course at Prestbury Park – has produced three winning favourites in the last ten years.

Altior, trained by Nicky Henderson, won back-to-back renewals in 2018 and 2019, during his world record 19-race winning streak, and Energumene, trained by Willie Mullins, likewise justified favouritism in 2023, but otherwise market leaders have been out of luck. That was particularly true in 2024, when El Fabiolo, also trained by Mullins, was sent off at prohibitive odds of 2/9, but was brought to a standstill by a bad mistake at the fifth fence and was pulled up shortly afterwards.

When it comes to Cheltenham betting odds, Ante-post punters interested in whether the current odds-on on favourite, Jonbon (5/6), also trained by Henderson, can take a crumb of comfort from the fact that the Clarence House Chase at Ascot – in which he comprehensively outpointed Energumene – has proved a reliable trial for the Queen Mother Champion Chase in recent years. Beyond the market leader, Gaelic Warrior (7/1), another trained by Mullins, was an impressive winner of the Arkle Challenge Trophy at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, but has been beaten in all three starts since, while Il Est Francais (7/1), trained in France by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, could prove interesting over the minimum trip.

Cheltenham Festival Free Bet:  https://blog.betway.com/horse-racing/countdown-to-cheltenham-earn-over-pound100-in-free-bets-1/

In recent weeks, I have read a number of professional gambler books. I’ve enjoyed Dave Nevison’s A Bloody Good Winner and I’m three-quarters through Harry Findlay’s: Gambling For Life. Both depict a roller-coaster ride of the extraordinary life of betting for a living. Stories from men larger than life.

Astonishing five and six-figure bets placed like money was going out of fashion.

I guess in ways both Nevison and especially Findlay are extroverts. However, professional gamblers can be varied in their character traits. Some are quietly spoken, knowledgable and introverted. To be honest, I have no idea if Simon ‘Dodger’ McCartney was the picture I paint him but I’m sure he would had been able to tell some remarkable stories.

I had never heard of McCartney until reading a story about racing journalist Brian Lee. In fact, this piece is inspired by an article written by him published in the Western Mail titled: ‘The Dodger Lives On In Legend As Much-Love Pro Punter.’

Dodger got his name slipping through the bustling crowds to get his bets on at National Hunt courses across the country.

Lee spoke fondly of their 30-year friendship with the professional gambler who was one of a dozen pros on the National Hunt circuit. McCartney inherited his love of horse racing from his father who was a street corner bookmaker. There wasn’t a National Hunt racecourse that McCartney hadn’t visited, travelled the country betting on horses for a living. In fact, he used to drive 1000 miles a week to get to courses from his home in Gloucestershire.

Originally punting on greyhounds at London tracks, rather than todays world of online betting platforms he changing to jump racing. He’d been racing since the age of 16 and said that his favourite course was Hereford because it had such a lovely atmosphere and friendly people.

Giving away some thoughts on gambling he stated that he never bet each way and preferred to bet on two horses in a race if the odds were value. A gambler who placed his bets ‘as cool as a cucumber’ he would roar ‘come on, my son’ as they cleared the last jump in front.

McCartney was a respected figure on the racecourse and had a good relationship with owners, jockeys and trainers, who often asked his opinion. They trusted his word and character as he never once asked for tips.

Sadly, Simon was tragically killed in a road traffic accident in 2002, aged 69. He had recovered from throat cancer and got back on course much to the delight of his friends. He was travelling from Stratford, after a successful day backing three winners.

His funeral at North London saw a congregation of 150 mourners including the great and good of racing.

Nick Gaselee described McCartney as ‘one of the National Hunt racing’s greatest characters. He had a natural warmth and wit, a life-long passion for racing and even made a living from betting on it’.

It was said you could tell how well McCartney’s gambling was going by the car he drove. He owned cars from E-Type Jaguar to a Ferrari. In fact, he owned a house in Hampstead and another in Epping Forest. Back in the day he would bet £6,000 a week to return a profit of £400.

Gaselee said: ‘It’s ironic at a time when racing is receiving a bad press about gambling, Dodger should have represented all that is good and all that is fair and honest, and all that is fun and amusing in our sport.’

Simon ‘Dodger’ McCartney had a passion and love for National Hunt racing.

He is sadly missed.