Nicolai "Nico" W. Chastel de Boinville (born 14 August 1989)[1] is an English horse racing jockey who competes in National Hunt racing.[2] De Boinville has ridden more Grade One winners than any British jumps jockey currently active.[3]

Nico de Boinville
Full nameNicolai W. Chastel de Boinville
OccupationJockey
Born (1989-08-14) 14 August 1989 (age 35)
Baughurst, Hampshire
SpouseSerena
Children2
Major racing wins
Cheltenham Gold Cup, Queen Mother Champion Chase, Arkle Challenge Trophy, RSA Chase, Supreme Novices Hurdle, Triumph Hurdle, David Nicholson Mares Hurdle, Golden Miller Novices Chase, Coral Cup, Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices Hurdle, Betway Bowl, Celebration Chase, Christmas Hurdle, Clarence House Chase, Kauto Star Novices Hurdle, King George VI Chase, Liverpool Hurdle, Maghull Novices Chase, Mildmay Novices Chase, Sefton Novices Hurdle, Tingle Creek Chase, Tolworth Novices Hurdle, Mares Champion Hurdle IRE, Grand National Hurdle Stakes USA
Significant horses
Altior, Brain Power, Chantry House, Coneygree, Constitution Hill, Epatante, Marie's Rock, Might Bite, Pentland Hills, Shishkin, Sprinter Sacre, Whisper, William Henry, Verdana Blue

Early life

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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.[4][5]

Career

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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.[6][7] 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.[8]

He won his first grade 1 in Ireland when he partnered Marie's Rock to win the 2022 Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.[9]

Cheltenham Festival winners (16)

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Major wins

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  Great Britain


  Ireland


  United States

References

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  1. ^ "de Boinville, Nicolai". www.directoryoftheturf.com. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  2. ^ "I will be on M6 for Sprinter Sacre's comeback". The Yorkshire Post. 17 January 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Nico de Boinville on coming close to resigning from Nicky Henderson yard and keeping cool at Cheltenham Festival". Sky Sports. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Gold Cup for Nico de Boinville (H 02-07)". Bradfield College. 12 March 2015. Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Nico de Boinville: 'I used to bunk off public school to watch the racing'". The Guardian. 13 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Coneygree wins thrilling Cheltenham Gold Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  7. ^ "Nico De Boinville rides into the spotlight". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Brain Power strikes to give Henderson a first National success at Far Hills". Racing Post. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Punchestown Mares Champion Hurdle: Marie's Rock steals the show for Nicky Henderson and Nico De Boinville". Sky Sports. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Cheltenham 2016: Sprinter Sacre wins Queen Mother Champion Chase". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 March 2016.