Jockeys League critics ‘must look at the bigger picture’ insists Nico De Boinville as veteran backs lucrative new format after starring on competition’s opening day

Nico De Boinville has urged critics of the newly launched Jockeys League to look at the bigger picture after marking the competition’s opening day in style.

The David Power Jockeys Cup (DPJC) has been devised to add a fresh narrative for the National Hunt campaign. It has £1.5million prize fund and jockeys accrue points from races that are televised on ITV each weekend through to the Friday of the Randox Grand National meeting next April.

De Boinville, stable jockey to Nicky Henderson, is the early leader after he rode a double at Cheltenham on Friday, on the spring-heeled novice Hyland and old favourite Jonbon, who produced an impeccable round of jumping in the Shloer Chase that drew gasps from the crowd.

Henderson, who trains both horses, was thrilled with Jonbon’s display and also had news of his star performer Constitution Hill – the 2023 Champion Hurdler will gallop at Newbury next Tuesday along with exciting stablemate Sir Gino.

But the day had started with Racehorse Owners Association posting a statement on X in which they said they were “the largest investors” in the sport and it was “unacceptable” they had found out about the competition’s inception 48 hours before the news was reported on Friday evening.

It left De Boinville puzzled about the confrontational nature that had been taken. He is one of the weighing room’s best communicators and he explained why the DPJC has invaluable role to play, with a significant portion of the kitty benefitting those who need assistance.

Nico De Boinville has urged critics of the newly launched Jockeys League to look at the bigger picture

De Boinville is the opening leader in the Jockeys League after he rode a double at Cheltenham on Friday

‘The ROA have put out a statement with a negative vibe to it,’ said de Boinville. ‘But they must look at the bigger picture. 

‘This is a new incentive and it is bringing new eyes to it. That’s incredibly important in this day and age, everyone has got to focus on the positives and not think so negatively.

‘The PJA (Professional Jockeys Association) have a collaboration with Sporting Chance, Tony Adams’s rehab clinic. 

‘A load of the money will go there to help the jockeys who go there. Jockeys suffer. It’s a really tough job – not only when you are riding but when you are retired as well.’

De Boinville starred on the spring-heeled novice Hyland to win the Novices’ chase at Cheltenham

Another strand of the ROA statement was that owners were under-appreciated but Paddy Power – brand ambassador for Flutter, who back the DPJC – illustrated the need for people to look at this competition with open minds.

‘Without owners there would be no racing,’ Power said. ‘Everyone is really important. But this is a new investment. It’s £1.5million going into a prize fund to hopefully make these jockeys more relatable and recognisable. They are the constants.

‘It will get more and more exciting the further through the season we get. That stuff matters. I’d be absolutely respectful of every other stakeholder in racing but there is a bigger picture. It’s something new, it’s not replacing anything. We need to look at it like that.’

The atmosphere at Cheltenham for the first big festival of the winter was buoyant and the day was enlivened by an outstanding display from Potter’s Charm, a horse part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, who scooted away with Albert Bartlett Hurdle.