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Buckley sings De Boinville's praises after handing him Brain Power ride

Sceau Royal - Daryl Jacob wins from Brain Power - David MullinsThe randoxhealth.com Henry VIII Novices' Chase (Grade 1) Sandown Pk 9/12/17©cranhamphoto.com
Brain Power will be partnered by Nico de Boinville for the first time in Saturday's Clarence House ChaseCredit: Mark Cranham

Punters believe Brain Power is on the upgrade and his owner is adamant the same applies to Nico de Boinville, who will team up with the big-race gamble for the first time on Saturday having been hailed the sport's most improved jockey.

De Boinville's praises were sung loudly on Wednesday by Michael Buckley, whose former smart hurdler has been backed into a best-priced 11-4 from 8-1 for the Royal Salute Whisky Clarence House Chase at Ascot, despite Un De Sceaux being an odds-on favourite to record a third consecutive success in the Grade 1 showpiece.

With Ruby Walsh sidelined, Un De Sceaux will be without his usual jockey, and so will Brain Power, who has run his last five races under David Mullins.

Final-fence drama: Sceau Royal (right) races home in the Henry VII Novices' Chase, in which Brain Power unseated David Mullins
Final-fence drama: Sceau Royal (right) races home in the Henry VII Novices' Chase, in which Brain Power unseated David MullinsCredit: Edward Whitaker
On this occasion, De Boinville will be aboard the Racing Post Arkle candidate, who most recently unseated Mullins at Sandown's final fence after attempting to make all in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase, a tactic connections said at the time had taken them by surprise.

Although De Boinville is Henderson's principal jockey, he has not lined up on Brain Power in any of the seven-year-old's previous 13 outings. However, the rider of Might Bite and Altior – market leaders for the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup and Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase – was in the saddle for a recent sparkling workout.

The Dikler sends his congratulations to Nico de Boinville, who was recently engaged
Nico de Boinville: hailed jumping's most improved jockeyCredit: Edward Whitaker
"Nicky would like to give Nico a whirl on the horse and I'm happy to go along with that," said Buckley.

"Things didn't seem to go very well last time at Sandown, so we thought we'd have a change for this race. Nico has schooled the horse and they seem to have got on very well.

"Everybody has their own opinion about jockeys. There may be people who thought Nico was an absolutely top-quality rider last season, or the season before that. However, in my view he's the most improved jockey I've seen riding this season. Whatever his standard was previously, I think he's now riding well above that."

The standard Brain Power has been setting in Lambourn has left connections extremely pleased.

Buckley explained: "I met Nicky on Friday in Scotland for his wedding and almost the first words out of his mouth were, 'Boy, you should have seen Brain Power schooling yesterday'.

"He's an exceptionally good work horse. Nicky used the Game Spirit for Sprinter Sacre and Altior when they were novices. I hardly dare offer the names of those horses in connection with Brain Power, but he does work like them.

"From last year the three best work horses at Seven Barrows have been Altior, Buveur D'Air and Brain Power. His work has improved this season as well. He was the most ignorant jumper originally, but he seems to have brushed up on that front too."

Michael Buckley with his jockey David Mullins and Nicky HendersonKempton 27.11.17 Pic: Edward Whitaker
Owner Michael Buckley (right): surprised about Brain Power gambleCredit: Edward Whitaker

Asked about the plunge on Brain Power – who according to Racing Post Ratings is 12lb inferior to Un De Sceaux – Buckley added: "Not one pound of it has come from me.

"I'm somewhat surprised by the gamble and I'm very surprised he's now such a short price. It's highly preposterous but it is what it is. If you look at Un De Sceaux's life and compare him to Brain Power, who over fences has won just one novice chase, our odds do now look bemusing to me.

"When I saw how short he was on Tuesday evening I rang a friend in Ireland and asked if there was something wrong with Un De Sceaux.

"I did think last week when he was 12-1 that maybe I should have a few quid each-way on him, but I wasn't sure if we'd run or what the ground was going to be like."

That ground on Wednesday was described as soft, good to soft in places, with both rain and wind in the forecast. Drier conditions on Saturday would suit Brain Power but not Un De Sceaux.

Brain Power's new jockey said: "He jumped ten fences last week and seemed in very good order.

"As long as the horses are running well that's the main thing, and right now the horses from Seven Barrows seem to be flying.

"Un De Sceaux is proven in these races and we've got to step up, but on his day Brain Power is a very good horse."


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Lee MottersheadSenior writer

Published on 17 January 2018inNews

Last updated 14:08, 19 January 2018

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