“Try and Win”: Horse Racing Legend Shares Insights on Constitution Hill’s Expectations in Recent Update

As the perfect year-ending, several horse racing enthusiasts had run to catch the last 2023 glimpse of their favorites. In the same vein, towards the end of the past season, several champion jockeys had surfaced aboard their talented horses. And when the New Year was just four days away, the Great Britain’s National Hunt hurdle race had witnessed a legend emerge like no other.

Nico de Boinville, the 34-year-old English horse racing jockey, has gained fame for riding more Grade 1 winners than any other active British jockeys. But most of his accolades came on account of his star horse Constitution Hill. After the duo outshined every competition to claim the latest victory, the former felt like he rode a ‘missile’.

Recapitulation for the win – a la Boinville

In the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, it was champ Constitution Hill’s shining moment to make trainer Nicky Henderson proud. Cruising to an easy success, Hill had to outclass four rivals. So, to accolade his success, the popular jockey of the Grade 1 winning realm had engaged in a candid conversation with Matt Chapman, ITV Racing broadcaster. When Chapman asked him, “Can you just give us an idea what it felt like?” after winning aboard Constitution Hill, the jockey had the perfect answer. “It was pretty phenomenal. It felt like I was riding a missile… try and win in the right way” was what he said about the Irish x French progeny racehorse. Being the multiple Grade 1 winner rider, the 34-year-old had never compared his champions. But he still thinks he jumps “better when Constitution Hill jumps”.

“You are enjoying as much as anything. It’s an absolute pleasure to ride a horse like that,“ he continued. Further on, when Chapman tried to compare the 6-year-old world’s best hurdlers present and past performances, Boinville stood his ground to maintain practicality. Said, “It’s hard to make those claims”. But this win isn’t Constitution Hill’s history making one.

2023 Champion Hurdle record that will go down in the annals of history

A Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race of Great Britain, the Champion Hurdle, is the most sought after event. And Champion Hurdle, being one of the most popular at Cheltenham, had met its victor in the beginning of 2023. With that win, Constitution Hill, ridden by Boinville, got acclaimed as one of the best hurdlers in history.

READ MORE: Watch: Horse Racing Icon Kick off 2024 with Victory at Santa Anita Park

After the triumph, trainer Nicky Henderson had said, “You can do anything with this horse. You could jump a fence, you could go three miles. I’ve watery eyes, I always have had and I always will have but that would bring a tear to most eyes, when you see a horse quite like that, as I think that is pretty unique.”The aforementioned statement clearly asserts that Henderson’s only pride is the 6-year-old gelding who is capable of altering the horse racing paradigm.

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