nico, mouthwatering boxing day battles & 'FULL GALLOP'.

​Our sport makes great claims about being as diverse as diverse can be. Yes, our female jockeys, at the most of our racecourses, must forever wonder if they are being spied on by some of the less gentlemanly of their riding colleagues when changing their clothes and riding apparel and to drive home sweaty and still mudded as they are expected to share the showers with red-bloodied male jockeys. That aside, outside of weighing rooms, our sport is pretty-much classless and diversified, with all walks of life represented in the training, jockey and owner ranks.
Nico de Boinville proves the point. His surname suggests he might possibly be related to French aristocracy, with forebears who ate cake with Marie Antoinette. He will be pleased to know he is one of my favourite jockeys, though better pleased to have been accepted for who he is and his ability as a horseman/jockey by his fellow jockeys. They rag him as ‘the posh boy’ but it is easy to see that he is very much one of them.
Matt Chapman told a story the other day on his ‘Unbridled’ podcast with Paddy Brennan that tells all you need to know about Nico. When told that Nicky Henderson planned to take his 3-year-old hurdlers across Lambourn for a schooling session, realising riding commitments would prevent him from being involved, Nico put ‘schooling the babies’ before earning an income for that day. That is commitment to the cause, demonstrating the leadership qualities of the stable jockey.
Having no connection with Seven Barrows, Nico’s first appearance in my field of vision was as Sprinter Sacre’s schooling rider, and then, of course, as a claiming rider on board a novice of only three runs over fences, he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Coneygree. As bold and fearless a ride as any horse has enjoyed in the history of the race. Since then, he has won every major race apart from the National, and with Nicky Henderson’s record in the now Little National as well as all the other Nationals’ including regional Nationals, which after forty-years remains at zero, his only chance of adding Aintree to his c.v. is to get a spare for another trainer. Though perhaps Fascinating Lady might right the wrong this season. Or Mister Coffey, though that would be fanciful.
He is a great horseman and perhaps the best all-round stable jockey that Nicky Henderson has employed and an image from last season, when his young daughter accompanied him to the races, displayed him as a loving father, buttoning-up her coat whilst talking and interacting with her, the daughter the most important aspect of his day. An everyday image, yet it reinforced my admiration for him.
Oh, he is the focus of the main feature in the Racing Post today.

This is the season for crossing our fingers and hoping trainers have not been titillating our fancies over the past few weeks. Big storms permitting, if Willie Mullins is kind to us, we will be treated at Kempton on Boxing Day and whatever the day after is called to Constitution Hill versus Lossiemouth – incidentally there is another Lossiemouth entered for a handicap at Kempton on the same day as – Sir Gino versus Ballyburn. Please, please, Willie do not take Ballyburn to Limerick, the ground will be so much better at Kempton. And there is a trip down memory lane with Britain versus Ireland versus France in the King George. Yes, three French-trained horses readied for cross-channel steeplechasing glory.
All I want for Christmas is no snow, frost or heavy rain. For Boxing Day I want an epic King George – I care not who wins – for Constitution Hill to run with honour – not bothered if he wins, just that he finishes within a length of two of Lossiemouth. Giving her weight, remember. And for Ballyburn and Sir Gino to have a right good dust-up.

I am pleased ‘Full Gallop’ is to return for a second series. I am not cock-a-hoop, though. They must feature more of the back-stage stuff this time around. The people who do the hard miles. The stable staff, the horses and the owners. It should also demonstrate the hard miles all jockeys must commit to in their daily lives.