Don’t miss Unibet ambassador Nico de Boinville’s latest column as he discusses his Saturday rides as Altior returns to action
Nico de Boinville talks through his exciting Saturday rides at Newbury, featuring the return of Queen Mother Champion Chase favourite Altior.
"Read the thoughts of four-time Champion Trainer Nicky Henderson and stable jockey Nico de Boinville exclusively at Unibet each week throughout the Jump Season. Unibet are an award-winning sports betting and casino operator with over 16 million customers, and proud sponsors of the Unibet Champion Hurdle, The Irish Gold Cup and betting partner of the Investec Derby."
I’VE been looking forward to this day for a long, long time.
Altior (3.00) is the type of horse that made me want to become a jockey and he’s given me some of my best days in the saddle.
It will be great to ride him in a race again after he had a breathing operation earlier in the season. He’s as ready as we can get him.
He’s been chewing up whoever has led him in his work. I’ve tried to do as much as I can to get a blow into him but it’s quite hard because not many horses can go with him.
He feels like the old Altior. It was just his wind that was the problem – I’d like to think that issue has been rectified. There were noises before and now there aren’t any.
I would have thought with just three runners it would turn into a bit of a tactical race and anything can happen on this ground.
Coming back not having had a run against a race-fit rival like Politologue, who has won a Grade 1, you don’t really want to be doing all the donkey work.
I’ll be discussing the tactics with the guv’nor but someone is going to have to lead.
I’m a bit worried we’ve had all this rain but we’ve done as much as we can – working and schooling.
He is lacking match practice but it’s a good place for us to start.
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The boss Nicky Henderson has a great record in the Betfair Hurdle – he’s won it five times.
We’re sending five from our stable and it’s hard to pick between all of those.
They’ve all been working together and going really well.
I’m on Kayf Grace (3.35) and she is coming in slightly unexposed. She missed most of last year but this season everything has gone to plan. I think she’s off a nice weight.
She felt really good when winning at Kempton the day after Boxing Day and weren’t all out to win.
I just hope I’m on the right one.
We think a lot of Whatswrongwithyou (1.15). The form of his win at Newbury last month is stacking up really well. He beat another of our horses Ok Corral – who won well at Kempton yesterday – and I was very impressed.
You do have to time it right on him – you don’t want to be getting there too soon. I’m getting to know him and he won’t mind the ground.
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It was good to see the top-rated horse come out of the novices’ handicap chase so I don’t have to do 10st on Reigning Supreme (4.10).
We always thought he would make a chaser and, despite getting unshipped from him on his chase debut, I’ve not changed my mind. Kempton over 2m4f at a flat-out gallop was just too sharp – things happened too fast for him. He’ll appreciate this track and the longer trip.
The bumper looks red-hot. It’s the race Barters Hill beat Buveur D’Air and Altior in a few years ago.
We’ve got two nice horses in it again – it’s just a shame I can’t ride them both.
I’m on Morning Vicar (4.40) in the Might Bite colours. He’ll like the ground and he’ll have come on an awful lot for his win at Newbury last month.
Altior’s owners have Pym running. He has a good chance as well so hopefully they should be in for a good day.