Nico de Boinville joined the latest episode of Unbridled to look forward to the weeks and months ahead, starting with Super Saturday at Newbury this weekend.
Nikki Henderson’s Promising Chaser Long application Participated in the William Hill Game Spirit Chase at Newbury. Sky Sports Racing Live Stream – The same goes for Warwick’s Kingmaker Novices’ Chase.
Despite his fears about the difficult situation, De Boinville said: “I expect he’ll be declared. He’s all set to go and he’s done the last bits of work. He had school last week and he’s ready to go. I think it’ll be Newbury.”
The five-year-old, owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly, enjoyed an excellent hurdling campaign last term, taking Grade 1 honors in the Ballymore Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle at Punchestown. He set off over fences with similar guile and scored easily at Exeter before putting in a brilliant performance in the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
His rider said: “He has great range and uses his feet very cleverly in both directions. I think he is a better chaser (than the hurdler), just as Sir Gino thought he was a better chaser. But things have changed. I think he has advanced towards the fence and is only going in one direction and everything is going well.”
The horse that won’t be seen this weekend is the winner of Arkle last year. eat yesplayed his part in an unforgettable King George VI chase on Boxing Day, finishing fourth despite being beaten by only half a length by winner The Jukebox Man. Henderson confirmed Jango Baie will miss the Denman Chase and head straight to the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Jango Baie wins the 2025 Arkle Chase.
Looking back at Kempton, De Boinville recalled: “King George wasn’t really running at a good pace. I thought we were running steady and fast and the fact that we had four guys lining up helped with that. It turned into a bit of a sprint. I was actually out six out and trying to see if he could hold up well. There was a real emphasis on pace that day but I’m hoping a real Gold Cup can play to his strengths.
“The ground was pretty fast too. Kitzbuhel was bouncing it off. Speed is really important and Jango Baie likes a test of stamina as he only did after the last fence at Arkle.”
Other interesting prospects for the 36-year-old include: Old Park Star, He is currently the 2/1 ante-post favorite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Since transferring from Paul Nicholls’ Ditcheat base in October, the six-year-old has recorded three wins by a combined 33 lengths over smaller hurdles, most recently coming into the winners’ fence at Haydock after a demolition in the Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle.
Enthusiastically, De Boinville said: “He’s a really nice horse. I actually trained him the week before he went to Haydock and I don’t know what it is, but he’s like any other horse. He goes into the paddock and seems to be growing hands. The presence he has in the paddock is completely different than at home. I thought the track was probably not ideal, but he handled it brilliantly. He’s a lovely horse, isn’t he?”
Ahead of March, he added: “He’s very versatile. He handled Cheltenham and loved the hills when he ran there. The form will be on display this weekend when Nigel and Willy Twiston (Davies) run a nice novice (Un Sens A La Vie) in the William Hill Hurdle. They really like theirs so it will be interesting to see what happens.”
The Seven Barrows camp is also optimistic about: act of innocenceWhen last seen in December, he was beaten by Minella Yoga in Newbury.
De Boinville said: “Looking back, I thought it was a tremendous run considering the weight. I was a little disappointed to come back, but looking at the bare form and how much weight we put on, I thought it was a tremendous run.”
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