Nico de Boinville: 'I guess I could change my accent but I am who I am - I don't worry about what people think of me'
Lee Mottershead meets up with the rider of jump racing's most exciting horse
Such is Constitution Hill's outrageous talent, Nico de Boinville has not been required to ask his friend a serious question. In time, we may find out what happens when he does. When De Boinville is asked a serious question, the answers reveal a jockey capable of delivering deep analysis of himself and his sport.
It all happens inside the winning connections' room at Plumpton. De Boinville has driven to East Sussex for a single ride on a mare trained by his boss Nicky Henderson. Compared to what took place at Cheltenham, the contrast could hardly be greater.
On the festival's opening day, De Boinville enjoyed the sort of experience for which many would pay a king's ransom. The Seven Barrows number one was on Constitution Hill's back as the sport's brightest star cruised to victory in the Champion Hurdle. In winning, De Boinville completed a clean sweep of the festival's three historic peaks, for in 2015, just a month after riding out his claim, he helped Coneygree to Gold Cup triumph, while between 2016 and 2019 he landed three Champion Chases aboard Sprinter Sacre and Altior.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inInterviews
Last updated
Copy- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’
- 'He must have his breakfast earlier than Willie does' - Patrick Mullins goes behind enemy lines at Gordon Elliott's yard
- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’
- 'He must have his breakfast earlier than Willie does' - Patrick Mullins goes behind enemy lines at Gordon Elliott's yard