Nico de Boinville, the Holland Cooper Top Jockey at The Festival 2019 with three winners, reacted: “I am over the moon.
“You do not come into a week like this thinking you have any sort of a chance [of being top jockey]. You know you have good rides, but you know how hard it is to convert them here.
“You have to remember that I am riding for a genius of a trainer (Nicky Henderson) because we have been pushed this year. We haven’t had an easy build-up with all the snow and flu jabs so it has been a difficult prep for all these horses.
“I was saying earlier that I think one of the standout training performances was Santini, because we have had so many problems with him. For him to come and run like he did, we are really looking forward to next season.
“It has been a great week.”
His three victories came through William Henry in the Coral Cup, Altior in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase and Pentland Hills in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
WILLIE MULLINS REGAINS THE IRISH INDEPENDENT TRAINERS’ TITLE IN A CLOSE-RUN AFFAIR
Willie Mullins was crowned The Irish Independent Leading Trainer at The Festival for a sixth time after an absence of two years, but it went to countback on placings before the result was confirmed.
This time it was Nicky Henderson, who last won the title in 2012, who gave him most to do, rather than Gordon Elliott, who took the title from Mullins in 2017 and won it again last year, and after both trainers ended on four winners it was Mullins’ five seconds against Henderson’s four that clinched it.
Mullins had not been optimistic at the start of the week, so he was delighted to be proved wrong.
He said: “It’s a big surprise. Looking at Nicky’s team at the start of the week I thought he was going to be hard to beat, so I’m delighted for the yard and delighted for all of our owners, who give us such support. It’s a testament to everyone who backs me that I’ve won it again.”
He added: “We got a great start, winning the first two races. We didn’t think we had a great team of novices but we ended with three novice winners, plus the Gold Cup, which was unbelievable after so many near misses. I thought I’d never win the Gold Cup, so that was a major surprise and a nice one.”
Holland Cooper Leading Jockey Award –
Final Standings
Jockey 1st 2nd 3rd
Nico de Boinville 3 1 1
Barry Geraghty 2 3 2
Paul Townend 2 2 –
Mark Walsh 2 1 1
Mr Jamie Codd 2 – –
Rachael Blackmore 2 – 1
Harry Skelton 2 – 1
J J Slevin 1 2 –
Harry Cobden 1 1 –
Mr Alex Edwards 1 1 –
Ruby Walsh 1 – 2
Keith Donoghue 1 – 2
Bryony Frost 1 – 1
Aidan Coleman 1 – –
Noel Fehily 1 – –
Lizzie Kelly 1 – –
Jeremiah McGrath 1 – –
Mr Derek O’Connor 1 – –
Jonjo O’Neill Jr 1 – –
Kielan Woods 1 – –
Daryl Jacob – 2 2
Jack Kennedy – 2 2
Richard Johnson – 1 1
Davy Russell – 1 1
Tom Bellamy – 1 –
Paddy Brennan – 1 –
Joe Colliver – 1 –
Danny Cook – 1 –
Charlie Deutsch – 1 –
Mr David Maxwell – 1 –
Donagh Meyler – 1 –
Danny Mullins – 1 –
Mr Patrick Mullins – 1 –
Mr Barry O’Neill – 1 –
Robbie Power – 1 –
Henry Brooke – – 1
Conor Brassil – – 1
Sean Flanagan – – 1
Felix de Giles – – 1
Mr Declan Lavery – – 1
David Mullins – – 1
Gavin Sheehan – – 1
Sam Twiston-Davies – – 1
Mr Sam Waley-Cohen – – 1
Adam Wedge – – 1
Miss Tabitha Worsley – – 1
The Irish Independent Leading Trainer Award –
Final Standings
Trainer 1st 2nd 3rd
Willie Mullins IRE 4 5 4
Nicky Henderson 4 4 1
Gordon Elliott IRE 3 4 5
Joseph O’Brien IRE 2 2 1
Paul Nicholls 2 1 1
Dan Skelton 2 – 1
Henry de Bromhead IRE 2 – –
Philip Hobbs 1 – 2
Ben Pauling 1 – 1
Martin Brassil IRE 1 – –
Ben Case 1 – –
Gavin Cromwell IRE 1 – –
Emma Lavelle 1 – –
Philip Rowley 1 – –
Ted Walsh IRE 1 – –
Nick Williams 1 – –
Olly Murphy – 1 1
Enda Bolger IRE – 1 –
Tom George – 1 –
Debra Hamer – 1 –
Richard Hobson – 1 –
Tony Martin IRE – 1 –
Paul Nolan IRE – 1 –
Jedd O’Keeffe – 1 –
Henry Oliver – 1 –
Sue Smith – 1 –
Colin Tizzard – 1 –
Venetia Williams – 1 –
Nigel Twiston-Davies – – 2
Nick Alexander – – 1
Emmanuel Clayeux FR – – 1
Jessica Harrington IRE – – 1
Alan King – – 1
Noel Meade IRE – – 1
Kelly Morgan – – 1
Neil Mulholland – – 1
Terence O’Brien IRE – – 1
Evan Williams – – 1
NetJets Leading Owner Award – Final Standings
Owner 1st 2nd 3rd
J P McManus 5 5 4
Sullivan Bloodstock Ltd 2 1 –
Cheveley Park Stud 2 – 1
Gigginstown House Stud 1 3 5
Marie Donnelly 1 1 –
George Barlow 1 – –
The Can’t Say No Partnership 1 – –
Justin Carthy 1 – –
Joanne Coleman 1 – –
Sarah Faulks 1 – –
Andrew Gemmell 1 – –
Chris Giles & Mr & Mrs Paul Barber 1 – –
Lady Jane Grosvenor 1 – –
Barry Maloney 1 – –
Bernadine Mulryan 1 – –
Emma Palmer 1 – –
Owners Group 031 1 – –
Patricia Pugh 1 – –
Paul Vogt 1 – –
Walters Plant Hire Ltd 1 – –
John White & Anne Underhill 1 – –
Diana Williams 1 – –
Simon Munir & Isaac Souede – 3 2
Trevor Hemmings – 1 1
Chris Jones – 1 1
Andy Bell & Fergus Lyons – 1 –
The Bellamy Partnership – 1 –
Burnham P & D Ltd – 1 –
Caron & Paul Chapman – 1 –
Crossed Fingers Partnership – 1 –
Down The Quay Club – 1 –
Thomas Friel/Andrew Gemmell – 1 –
John Hales – 1 –
Richard & Lizzie Kelvin Hughes – 1 –
David Maxwell Racing Ltd – 1 –
Taylor & O’Dwyer – 1 –
Diana Whateley – 1 –
Wicklow Bloodstock (Ireland) Ltd – 1 –
The Aldaniti Partnership – – 1
Kate & Andrew Brooks – – 1
Mike Burbidge & The Old Masters – – 1
The Englands & Heywoods – – 1
L Fell – – 1
Nigel King – – 1
N W Lake – – 1
Martin McDonagh/Paul Murphy/M J Nixon – – 1
ML Bloodstock Ltd – – 1
A Rasquier – – 1
Robcour – – 1
Susannah Ricci – – 1
Options O Syndicate – – 1
Johnny Weatherby – – 1<< Back to Racing Headlines
