Mark Walsh to ride Jonbon in Saturday's Celebration Chase

Jon Vine

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Last updated: Wed 23 Apr 2025 17:46

Jon Vine 23 Apr 2025

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Mark Walsh poses with the Gold Cup following after riding Inothewayurthinkin to victory in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. (Getty)

Mark Walsh will take over from the injured Nico De Boinville, as Jonbon bids for a hat-trick of Celebration Chase victories on Saturday.

Nico De Boinville was rushed to hospital on Monday following a nasty incident at Plumpton. Nicky Henderson's stable jockey suffered an early fall aboard As The Fella Says, and was kicked in the back as his stricken mount attempted to get back up to his feet.

Luckily, there was no break to Nico's back or neck, but he did break a couple of ribs. Nicky Henderson spoke to the press earlier this week, confirmed that his jockey was set for a spell on the sidelines.

"It was a nasty fall and thankfully As The Fella Says is okay, but our jockey is not." Nicky said, "although hopefully he'll be perfectly all right in the long term."

"We're trying to sort things out, we've got Punchestown to sort out as well, but he definitely won't be riding this weekend or next week. After next week it doesn't matter anyway, but the main thing is that he's back and fighting fit for the restart. As long as he's fighting fit that's all that matters.

"Jonbon is ticking over and he's in very good order. Constitution Hill is going to have his gallop on Thursday or Friday, but it's important that Nico is home."

James Bowen seemed the most likely candidate to replace Nico De Boinville this weekend. However, Bowen's only previous ride on Jonbon didn't go to plan, as the long odds-on favourite jumped terribly and was beaten by Elixir De Nutz in the 2024 Clarence House.

Jonbon runs in the yellow and green silks of leading owner, JP McManus. Mark Walsh rides all of McManus' Irish-based horses and Henderson broke the news today that the Gold Cup-winning jockey was heading over to Sandown this weekend to pick up the Jonbon ride.

Speaking on his Unibet blog, Henderson said: "We do have to make riding plans for our horses and Mark Walsh will come over to Sandown Park on Saturday to ride Jonbon."

James Bowen will likely get his chance to shine at the Punchestown Festival, where Henderson is planning on running Constitution Hill and Lulamba. Bowen will be riding for the master of Seven Barrows this week, with David Bass, Harry Cobden and Paul O'Brien likely to pick up spare rides.