Nico de Boinville smiles by leaving his headphones. He made a recognition walk in Kempton Park, to examine the ground before a busy day, and something has gathered morale.
Has he listened to a race bulletin? “Absolutely not! Def Boinville responds, the smile increasing. “This is the Joe Rogan experience. I try to go from the race every time I can.
The man entrusted to the precious journey on Constitution Hill is recognized as the King of the British British race, his CV decorated with 16 victories of the Cheltenham Festival. It is frozen when the pressure is intense, its virgin expression during driving reminds you of a fighter pilot performing a mission.
But eliminate the racing veneer and you find so much more levels. Cheltenham is on the horizon, but it would be a waste of time to talk about a store, and thus begins a conversation that presents sliding doors, photographic memories, men to a club and Donald Trump.
As her listening habits suggest, Nicolai Chastel de Boinville (to give him his full title) is attentive to current affairs. He could have been a political commentator himself if he had been stuck to his initial plan for reading politics at Newcastle University.
“I couldn’t face this lifestyle,” he said, grimlant when the decline week is mentioned. “It made me if sick. Four weeks, I was really broken, depressed and I was at a conference. I was supposed to give a test and I said to myself: “No … I left!” ‘
Nico de Boinville will aim to add to his 16 victories at the Cheltenham Festival next week
De Boinville is responsible for the precious conduct on Constitution Hill and is the king of the British Great Breed
Far from its races, jockey is attentive to current affairs and is fascinated by politics
Horses and outdoor were his passions. As a young boy, he loved Flat Racing and had an obsession by looking at the greats of all the time of Frankie Dettori Godolphin – “I used to pretend to roll in Swain when he is on my little pony,” he said with a smile – was the political degree a route to be a deputy?
‘Noooo!’ He underlines, swinging on his chair. “I love politics and keep up to date with what’s going on in the world. With Trump, there is a story every day! It’s unreal, right? It’s just interesting to see how it all works. It is not only the policy of a country that interests me, it is the policy of everything.
“I find the policy of formula a fascinating. Asset? It’s simply interesting … What annoys me to deputies and politicians is that they had career politicians – never answering questions, never having done a real job, never knowing what the average person passes.
“These are daily problems. This is why it is interesting when you bring people from the outside to try to solve these problems. I prefer to know where I am and vote for someone, say, who was in the army and knows how to work with a team of people.
For the moment, guide the fortune of some of the best national hunting horses – his Cheltenham rides include Jonbon and Lulamba, favorites for champion Chase and Triumph Hurdle – is Nirvana.
De Boinville works in Seven Barrows, the base of Nicky Henderson, since 2009. He occasionally rides for other yards, but the relationship he has with his boss makes comparisons with the footballer of the Academy who graduates to become a club captain.
“I don’t have a team but growing up, I was a big fan of Southampton,” said Boinville.
“My cousins dragged me. I loved watching Matt the Tissier play. I love boxing, I like showmen and those who do special things.
De Boinville has a love for showman in sport, like the former Southampton star Matt Le Tissier
He worked with Nicky Henderson, illustrated since 2009, but almost went elsewhere in 2012
De Boinville will set up the favorite on Jonbon before the race in the champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival
“When I started to Seven Barrows, there were a crowd of young jockeys and it was really competitive. When you are young, you feel like you should run instead of walking and there was a time, I felt like I was walking on the water. I just wanted to continue things.
The juvenile impetuosity led to a conversation with Henderson who could have gone in both directions. De Boinville, frustrated by the lack of rides he received, explained in November 2012 that he was thinking of trying his luck elsewhere.
“No, he was not very happy,” recalls Boinville. “It was just before the evening stables. He said to me, “Get out! Do your job! Then come back at 6 p.m.! ».
“So I returned later and he had the chance to calm down. The next day, I was declared on something at the Hennessey meeting. The horse, Cucumber Run, arrived second with 33-1.
“A couple of guys tried to do the same as me the following year and it did not work!” I was fully ready to go. Sliding doors? Well, yes. It was a fairly crucial moment.
Look at how it turned out. Here, he is today with 49 grades – launched by the success of the Cheltenham Gold Cup 2015 on CONEYGREE – and he knows that the half -century could be raised by Constitution Hill in the Tuesday champion.
He stops for a moment when he explains that his name is associated with some of the most remarkable successes of the last decade, from the sacred sprinter to Altior and the remarkable hill of Constitution.
“As a spectator, you take photos in your memory, right?” he said. “When you think back to something special, you don’t watch your phone, you think about what is right for you. This is how I work. I remember that Southampton would play Arsenal on Dell.
De Boinville won 49 first -year victories, launched by the Cheltenham Gold Cup 2015 on CONEYGREE
His half-century could be mentioned when he drove Hill in the Hurdle champion
“Patrick Vieira warmed up. He left an imprint on my brain. He looked so huge on television but I remember watching her, how big and tagged he was. What a player. It is therefore a funny perspective when you are on the ground or on the horse and not in the stands.
This means that there is a professional approach, but don’t be Kid, there is no part of him to go to the course with dreams.
“It is different,” he said about Constitution Hill, on whom he has 10 victories of 10 departures. “I have mounted two others who can do what he does on gallops – and it is to leave good horses standing. He is “woosh” – they left dead.
Nico de Boinville participates in the David Power Jockeys’ Cup, to find out more www.greatbrishracing.com
