De Boinville makes perfect return to the saddle at Ascot

Nico de Boinville celebrated a winner on his return from a short spell on the sidelines when steering Whenyerreadyfreddie to victory in the Tindle Newspapers Novices’ Chase at Ascot.

Having been out of action since the end of last month with a thumb injury sustained in a fall at Chepstow, the Grade One-winning rider warmed up for Might Bite in the Betfair Chase on Saturday in perfect fashion.

The Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old jumped out to his left, but that failed to prevent him following up his victory at the track on his previous start when holding chasing debutant Kildisart by half a length.

De Boinville said: “It felt great and there was no problem. I had to use my stick in the left hand and it held up absolutely great. It’s great to come back on a winner and thanks go to the boss for putting me back up on one like that.”

Henderson added of the 4-6 winner: “It’s a new trait (jumping to the left), I don’t know where that has come from. I don’t know if he has pulled a muscle or something else that has tweaked him.

“He did well to win considering he was giving that (ground) away. We will check him, but he is sound. I don’t know why he started doing that, as it got quite bad in the end.

“He got to 145 after his last run and I was thinking about the Close Brothers (at the Cheltenham Festival), but that is a 0-145. He does jump really well, but he can’t afford to do that.

“He does need good ground as he is not a winter horse and that is why we are on a bit of a roll at the moment. I might try get another run into him, then put him away for the spring.”