Paul Nicholls

While it was originally expected that the Paul Nicholls Racing Team would eventually move, they’ve remained at Manor Farm Stables since he was handed his trainer’s license in 1991, building something of an empire in South West England. Alongside Paul Nicholls, the rest of the horse racing team is made up of Head Lad Clifford Baker and Assistant Trainer Harry Derham, as well as professional jockeys Harry Cobden, Sam Twiston-Davies and Sean Bowen.

Taking 133 wins as a National Hunt jockey, Paul Nicholls looked to make the same transition to professional horse training as most successful jockeys in his position would. His jockeying career ended when a horse kicked him in pre-season training, breaking his leg, and ruling out any chance of riding again after a more than respectable seven-years.

Although he was always a likeable name in the horse racing community, Paul Nicholls didn’t jump headfirst into the next phase of his career, instead working as a trainer to David Barons over a two-year apprenticeship that also saw him contributing to Seagram’s Grand National win, receiving his trainer’s license immediately after. Renting his stables from a dairy farmer, Paul Nicholls Stables was and always has been situated at Manor Farm in Ditcheat, Somerset.

It was a slow start to life as a horse trainer, as he began his professional horse training career with just eight horses. He gained confidence through sealing his first win before taking his first grade one victory through See More Indians winning the Feltham Novices’ Chase at Kempton. The following years saw more success coming from Manor Farm, where Paul Nicholls’ racehorse trainer career really started to kick into gear, with the 1999 Cheltenham Festival being one of his finest hours, winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase with Call Equiname, The Arkle Challenge Trophy with Flagship Uberalles, and The Cheltenham Gold Cup with See More Business.

Despite his efforts, it took until the 2005/06 season to be rewarded with the title of Champion Trainer for the first time. Since that point, the quality behind Paul Nicholls horse racing has been appreciated more, leading to a total of eight Champion Trainer titles between 2006 and 2014. Even with his busy schedule, Paul Nicholls remains involved in many aspects of sport, writing a regular column for Betfair Racing, and tying in his love for horse racing with a love for Manchester United, where he trains several of Sir Alex Ferguson’s horses.

The decision to involve Ruby Walsh as the stable jockey in his team was crucial and played a massive part in some of his primary success, leading to a win for Azertyuiop and two wins for Master Minded in the Queen Mother Champions Chase, a King George VI Chase win for Kauto Star, and two further wins for Kauto Star in the 2007 and 2009 editions of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Combined success for Ruby Walsh and Paul Nicholls also prompted an incredible moment in the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup, where first placed Denman, second placed Kauto Star, and third placed Neptune Collonges were all trained by the Paul Nicholls Racing Team.

As for Paul Nicholls horses to follow, you’re given a lot of options with any bets you might consider placing on nags that are being trained at Manor Farm Stables. There are currently over 120 Paul Nicholls horses in training and the possibility of even more through improvements being made to the facilities and intentions to develop the land. Other notable Paul Nicholls horses include Silviniaco Conti, Twist Magic, Politologue, Big Buck’s, Diego Du Charmil, Thisthatandtother, Cyrname, Celestial Halo, Clan Des Obeux, Cenkos, Rocky Creek, What A Friend, Topofthegame, Al Ferof, Zarkander, Noland, Strong Flow, Rock On Ruby and Capoturgeon.