Nico de Boinville

Nicolai "Nico" W. Chastel de Boinville (born 14 August 1989) is an English horse racing jockey who competes in National Hunt racing. De Boinville has ridden more Grade One winners than any British jumps jockey currently active.

Early life

He is the son of an insurance broker, De Boinville was educated at Bradfield College from 2002 to 2007, a boarding independent school for boys in the village of Bradfield in Berkshire, followed by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He had initially intended to study Politics at Newcastle, but he left during his first year, in order to pursue a career in horse racing.

Career

De Boinville started his racing career as a stable lad at Nicky Henderson's Seven Barrows stables.

After being a professional jockey for just over a year, de Boinville won the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup riding Coneygree for trainer Mark Bradstock. Since then, de Boinville has partnered horses such as Altior, Shishkin, Sprinter Sacre and Might Bite to his total 15 victories at the Cheltenham Festival.

In 2019, de Boinville became the top jockey at the Cheltenham Festival with 3 wins. He also won the Grand National Hurdle Stakes at Far Hills, USA with Brain Power in 2019.

He won his first grade 1 in Ireland when he partnered Marie's Rock to win the 2022 Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

Cheltenham Festival winners (16)

• Cheltenham Gold Cup – (1) Coneygree (2015)
• Queen Mother Champion Chase – (3) – Sprinter Sacre (2016) Altior (2018, 2019)
• Champion Hurdle - Constitution Hill (2023)
• Arkle Challenge Trophy – (2) – Altior (2017), Shishkin (2021)
• RSA Insurance Novices' Chase – (1) Might Bite (2017)
• Supreme Novices' Hurdle – (3) – Altior (2016), Shishkin (2020), Constitution Hill (2022)
• David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle – (1) – Marie's Rock (2022)
• Triumph Hurdle – (1) Pentland Hills (2019)
• Golden Miller Novices' Chase – (1) Chantry House (2021)
• Coral Cup – (2) Whisper (2014), William Henry (2019)

Major wins

Great Britain

• Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle – (2) Pentland Hills (2019), Sir Gino (2024)
• Ascot Chase - (1) Shishkin (2023)
• Betway Bowl – (2) Might Bite (2018), Shishkin (2023)
• Celebration Chase – (3) – Sprinter Sacre (2016), Altior (2017), Jonbon (2024)
• Christmas Hurdle – (4) Verdana Blue (2018), Epatante (2021), Constitution Hill (2022,2023)
• Clarence House Chase – (2) Altior (2019), Shishkin (2022)
• Fighting Fifth Hurdle - (1) Constitution Hill (2022)
• Kauto Star Novices' Chase – (1) Conyegree (2015)
• King George VI Chase – (1) Might Bite (2017)
• Liverpool Hurdle – (1) Whisper (2015)
• Maghull Novices' Chase – (1) Shishkin (2021)
• Melling Chase - (1) Jonbon (2024)
• Mildmay Novices' Chase – (2) Might Bite (2017), Chantry House (2021)
• Sefton Novices' Hurdle – (1) Santini (2018)
• Tingle Creek Chase – (2) Altior (2018), Jonbon (2023)
• Tolworth Novices' Hurdle – (1) Constitution Hill (2022)

Ireland

• Mares Champion Hurdle – (1) Marie's Rock (2022)

United States

• Grand National Hurdle Stakes – (1) Brain Power (2019)

References

1. Nico (given name)
2. Shishkin (horse)
3. Aintree Bowl
4. 2023 Champion Hurdle
5. Celebration Chase
6. Cheltenham Festival
7. Altior
8. List of Old Bradfieldians
9. Constitution Hill (horse)
10. Triple Crown of Hurdling
11. Desert Orchid Handicap Chase
12. Sprinter Sacre
13. Cheltenham Gold Cup
14. Supreme Novices' Hurdle
15. Nicky Henderson
16. King George VI Chase
17. 2023 Grand National
18. Queen Mother Champion Chase
19. Champion Hurdle
20. Might Bite