De Boinville: I think he’s in really good order… we’re where we should be

Nico de Boinville had a beaming smile on his face after Constitution Hill came home in splendid isolation during his Kempton Park gallop on Tuesday morning.

It was in stark contrast to the glum faces that were on show at the Sunbury venue a year ago when National Hunt racing’s star performer produced a lacklustre effort on the Kempton Polytrack, which subsequently revealed a respiratory infection that ended his hopes of a Champion Hurdle defence.

De Boinville’s delight was matched by Constitution Hill’s trainer Nicky Henderson and owner Michael Buckley, who shared a warm embrace after the unbeaten eight-year-old scorched clear of work partners That’s Nice and Aston Martini, with the Seven Barrows number one saying he “couldn’t be happier” ahead of the gelding’s quest to land a second Champion triumph.

Reflecting on the difference 12 months can make, De Boinville said: “Last year was an absolute disaster, but it just shows, last year we learned a great deal and we learned he wasn’t right and we could pull stumps there, but today we learned he’s good to go and we can crack on.

“I was confident in that I knew where he was at home and I think that just proved we knew where he was.

“After his piece of work the other day, we thought it would benefit him, just to open him up a little bit. I didn’t want to do much and obviously it’s a fine line. Right now I really couldn’t be happier with him and we’ve two weeks to go now.

“It’s another day and another year and where we are today is very different to where we were last year and today was a big day in all these horses’ lives. To come through it and put the finishing touches to everything was great.”

Kempton has proved rather central to the Constitution Hill story over the past 12 months, as the place where his well-documented struggles began was also the venue for a glorious return when downing Lossiemouth in Boxing Day’s Christmas Hurdle.

He sharpened the tools further when surviving a final-flight hiccup at Cheltenham in the Unibet Hurdle on Festival Trials day and his appearance in the London suburbs was very much a case of adding the final touches, with the Champion Hurdle just two weeks to the day away.

De Boinville added: “It’s a great feeling when you go clear like he did today and I was delighted with him – and it was good fun for Sam (Twiston-Davies on That’s Nice) and James (Bowen on Aston Martini) to see him up close as well.

“He’s done a bit of schooling and he’ll go again next week – we’ve still got a few things to do, but we’re getting there. He’s been absolutely fine, no problems and we’re where we should be.

“I don’t think he had much of a race at Cheltenham last time and I think he’s in really good order.”

Over the next two weeks it will be revealed which, if either, of star mares Brighterdaysahead or Lossiemouth will join defending champion State Man in attempting to lower Constitution Hill’s colours at Prestbury Park.

It would be fitting if De Boinville were to bring up his 50th Grade One victory aboard one of the best he has ridden and, poker face or not, he seems unconcerned about the opposition.

“We don’t mind what rocks up on the day and it’s no different to usual, we just want to win the race,” said the 35-year-old.

“Certainly if the two mares turn up then the Mares’ Hurdle will become a bit easier for some of the others. But either way it doesn’t matter and it is probably of more interest to you guys (press) and the public than me.”

A total of 12 members of the Seven Barrows string enjoyed stretching their legs, in what Henderson was insistent was an “away day” rather than “blistering” work.

De Boinville also threw his leg across the enigmatic Mister Coffey, Impose Toi and most importantly JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite Lulamba, as he explained just what the Lambourn operation set out to discover on this key morning of the pre-Cheltenham Festival jigsaw.

He explained: “Lulamba felt great and I didn’t want to do too much. He’s fit and ready to go, hence why we didn’t want to do much today.

“These gallops are beneficial to the training regime rather than a test, as it were. Every horse has got their own plan and we know exactly where we want to be with each one.

“We’ve all got various instructions and it’s just a case of listening and riding accordingly. It’s never a case of who is going better, it’s about finishing where they should finish according to how much they need to be doing.

“We look at where they are in their coat and the condition they are carrying and then we make a decision on where they need to be.”