David Power Jockeys’ Cup: De Boinville to get a flyer?

Nico De Boinville has prospects of getting off to a flyer when the David Power Jockeys’ Cup gets under way at Cheltenham on Friday.

The most prolific British-based Grade One-winning rider in the weighing room has plum rides in the first three races of the competition, all of them trained by Nicky Henderson.

But champion jockey Harry Cobden will be a spectator on day one as his only ride on the card is in the final contest of the day, a race not screened by ITV. 

De Boinville partners the top-class Jonbon, who is odds-on to win the Shloer Chase (2.20), and either side partners Hyland, who is the general second favourite for the Mucking Brilliant Paddy Power Novices' Chase (1.45), and Mister Coffey, who is disputing favouritism for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase (2.55).

He has been pencilled in for several other interesting runners over the weekend, including Peaky Boy and Under Control on Sunday.

Harry Skelton is guaranteed picking up some early points if Unexpected Party completes in the Shloer Chase, and he will have high hopes for the exciting Valgrand in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (3.30). 

Skelton has a “full book” of Jockeys’ Cup rides on Saturday courtest of L’Eau Du Sud, Protektorat, Doyen Quest and Major Fortune, and his Sunday rides are set to include Be Aware in the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle. 

Jonjo O’Neill Jr (Springwell Bay) and Sam Twiston-Davies (Potters Charm) are set to partner favourites on Friday, with the latter’s subsequent rides at the meeting expected to include two well-fancied runners in Gowel Road (2.55) and Burdett Road (3.30), who will be in action on Sunday. 

Cobden will join the party on Saturday, when his big hope will be Ginny’s Destiny, favourite for the Paddy Power Gold Cup (2.20). His other competition rides on Saturday are Emailandy (2.55) and Fire Flyer (3.30). 

Meanwhile, ITV will also be broadcasting the Get Raceday Ready Southern National Handicap Chase at Fontwell on Sunday. The Sam Thomas-trained Jubilee Express is the early favourite, with in-form conditional rider Callum Pritchard booked to ride. Thomas and Pritchard teamed up to win last weekend’s Badger Beer Handicap with Al Dancer.