Nico De Boinville and the Hill: Old Park Star Wins Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
nico de boinville rode Old Park Star to victory in the opening race of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, taking the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as the 15/8 favourite and leading a British-trained 1-2-3-4.
What happened in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle?
Old Park Star, sent off at 15/8, scored by a length and a half from Sober Glory, with Mydaddypaddy a nose back in third and Baron Noir fourth. El Cairos, trained by Gordon Elliott, finished best of the Irish in fifth. The Irish had won the last three editions of the Supreme and were responsible for the first five home the previous year, but this renewal was dominated by British-trained horses.
What did Nico De Boinville say after the race?
nico de boinville, who rode Old Park Star prominently, kept the gelding up the hill and finished strongly. He said, “[That was] incredibly gutsy, we had a bit of a bump late on. He’s a class horse. I always thought he’d stay well and eat up the hill, and that’s what he did. It’s great – fantastic. “
What does this mean for trainers, jockeys and the pattern at Cheltenham?
The win provided Nicky Henderson, the trainer, with a sixth success in the Supreme and his fourth in this century following previous victories with Altior, Shishkin and Constitution Hill. Sober Glory had taken the field along under Ben Jones and was still in front at the final flight before making a bad mistake that opened the door for Old Park Star. Mydaddypaddy, ridden in mid-division by Harry Skelton, produced a late challenge but was short of room and lost second on the nod. The result underscores a shift in this race’s recent pattern, with British-trained horses finishing the first four home on this occasion.
The performance combined a well-judged ride, a strong staying effort up the hill and tactical unfolding of the race. For Gordon Elliott, represented in the finishing order by El Cairos in fifth, the result left the Irish entry as the first of the non-British-trained runners.
Old Park Star’s victory in the opening race set a clear tone for the meeting: a pre-race favourite delivered on expectations and a leading trainer added to his notable record in the event.
How will this be remembered as the Cheltenham Festival continues?
The opening-day success of Old Park Star underlined both the immediate significance of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the ongoing narratives around stable dominance and jockey execution. For the yard of Nicky Henderson, the win extended an established record in the race. For the jockeys involved—nico de boinville, Ben Jones and Harry Skelton—their rides shaped the finishing order in decisive ways.
As the festival progresses, the memory of a favourite delivering in the opening stage will remain among the clear talking points from the first day.
Image caption (alt text): nico de boinville riding Old Park Star up the hill in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
