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Jockey Tom Cannon is hoping the better ground on offer at Cheltenham this season could help Edwardstone gain his first victory over Jonbon when the pair meet for the fourth time in the Grade 2 Shloer Chase on Friday.
Alan King's chaser is yet to get the better of Jonbon in three previous meetings, chasing him home in last year's renewal before once again filling the runner-up spot in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek at Sandown a month later. The pair met for a third time when contesting the Grade 1 Celebration Chase at the same venue in April and although Edwardstone had to settle for the bronze medal on that occasion, regular rider Tom Cannon remains optimistic his mount has what it takes to be competitive at Cheltenham.
"They're old rivals," said Cannon on Sky Sports Racing. "I've sat on him at home and he's very fresh and very well. We probably couldn't do anymore at home at this stage."
"It's 3-0 to Jonbon at the moment but some better ground might suit us and on the first run of the season you never really know where they are and Jonbon is probably in that category as well.
"I've always thought he was probably a marginally better horse on better ground. Obviously, if it was too quick nobody would want to take the risk at this stage of the season but if they've put enough water on then good ground should be in our favour. Having said that, there's no reason why it won't suit Jonbon as well!"
The 2022 Arkle winner is a general 7/2 chance to claim his first Shloer Chase for Alan King and Tom Cannon, with JP McManus' high-class chaser Jonbon as short as 4/11 to successfully defend his crown on his return to action.
Despite his market position, Jonbon's regular rider Nico de Boinville still feels Jonbon will need to be on his "A-game" to make a winning return. "We've locked horns with Edwardstone a few times and have come out on top on each occasion, including in this race last season," De Boinville told Unibet.
"You obviously have to respect Alan's horse, and Boothill is a class act in his own right, but we are very happy with our horse at home. But Edwardstone is a three-time Grade 1 winner, so we have to be on our A-game if he is on his."
Nicky Henderson's eight-year-old, who also landed the Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree last season, heads a field of just four runners that features the Harry Fry-trained Boothill and Dan Skelton's Unexpected Party.