Paul Nicholls is the second most prolific current trainer of winners at the Cheltenham Festival with 32. He has a particularly good record in Grade 1 Chases and has four wins in both the Gold Cup and Champion Chase to his credit. His great rival Nicky Henderson is the winning most Cheltenham Festival trainer of all time with 46.
Nicholls is the son of a policeman and was born in Olveston, Bristol, on April 17, 1962. He has been training at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, Somerset, since taking out a licence on November 1, 1991. He started out as a jump jockey and rode 130 winners in his career most notably in Hennessy Cognac Gold Cups on 1986 and 1987. His achievements as jockey pale into insignificance to that as a trainer and he has dominated in the UK trainers championship since making his breakthrough in the 2005/6 season.
This year Nicholls will be looking to horses like Dodging Bullets, Far West, Silvinacio Conti, Rocky Creek and Tidal Bay to add to his 32 Cheltenham Festival wins to date.
Cheltenham Festival Wins (32):
23 Grade 1s
2 William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (2006 Noland, 2011 Al Ferof),
2 Racing Post Arkle Novices’ Chase (1999 Flagship Uberalles, 2003 Azertyuiop),
1 Stan James Champion Hurdle (2012 Rock On Ruby)
2 RSA Chases (2006 Star de Mohaison, 2007 Denman)
2 Ryanair Chase (2005 Thisthatandtother, 2007 Taranis),
4 Ladbrokes World Hurdles (2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012 Big Buck’s),
2 JCB Triumph Hurdle (2008 Celestial Halo, 2011 Zarkandar),
4 sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase (1999 Call Equiname, 2004 Azertyuiop, 2008 & 2009 Master Minded),
4 Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup (1999 See More Business, 2007 & 2009 Kauto Star, 2008 Denman),
9 Other Cheltenham Races
1 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (2010 Sanctuaire),
1 Pulteney Land Investments Novices’ Handicap Chase (2009 Chapoturgeon),
2 Christie’s Foxhunter Chase (2004 Earthmover, 2005 Sleeping Night),
2 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual (2004 St Pirran, 2007 Andreas),
3 Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle (2004 Sporazene, 2006 Desert Quest, 2009 American Trilogy),
Other big race wins include:
Adonis Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle (2009 Hebridean, 2011 Zarkandar),
Albert Bartlett (Prestige) Novices’ Hurdle (2000 Shotgun Willy, 2006 Neptune Collonges),
Albert Bartlett (RiverDon) Novices’ Hurdle (2006 Neptune Collonges & 2012 Rocky Creek),
Albert Bartlett (Bristol) Novices’ Hurdle (2011 Deireadh Re),
Amlin 1965 Chase (2006 Cerium, 2010 Master Minded), Aon Chase (2000 See More Business, 2001 Shotgun Willy, 2003 Valley Henry, 2007 Kauto Star, 2008 Denman, 2010 Tricky Trickster, 2011Noland),
Argento Chase (1998 See More Business, 2001 See More Business, 2010 Taranis, 2011 Neptune Collonges), Ascot Chase (2000 Rockforce, 2008 Kauto Star),
Ascot Hurdle (2010 Silviniaco Conti),
Berkshire Novices’ Chase (2005 Albuhera, 2006 Denman),
Bet365 Celebration Chase (2002 & 2004 Cenkos, 2008 Andreas, 2009 Twist Magic),
Bet365 Gold Cup (2001 & 2003 Ad Hoc),
Betfair Chase 2006, 2007, 2009 & 2011 Kauto Star),
Betfair Hurdle (2012 Zarkandar)
December Gold Cup (2009 & 2010 Poquelin),
Boylesports.com International Hurdle (2003 Rigmarole), Castleford Chase (2003 Kadarann),
Challow Novices’ Hurdle (2003 Cornish Rebel, 2006 Denman),
Charlie Hall Chase (1999 & 2000 See More Business), Classic Chase (2006 Eurotrek, 2007 Ladalko),
Cleeve Hurdle (2009 & 2012 Big Buck’s),
Contenders’ Hurdle (2009 Celestial Halo),
Dipper Novices’ Chase (2005 My Will),
Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle (2001 St Pirran),
Champion Hurdle Trial (2012 Celestial Halo)
Elite Hurdle (2001 Azertyuiop, 2002 Santenay, 2004 Perouse, 2009 Celestial Halo),
Feltham Novices’ Chase (1993 See More Indians, 2003 Strong Flow, 2008 Breedsbreeze),
Finesse Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle (2002 Vol Solitaire),
Future Champion Novices’ Chase (1994 See More Indians, 2002 Valley Henry, 2003 Vol Solitaire, 2007 Natal),
Galway Plate (2008 Oslot),
Game Spirit Chase (2000 Flagship Uberalles, 2003 Kadarann, 2004 & 2005 Azertyuiop, 2008 Master Minded),
Greatwood Handicap Hurdle (2003 Rigmarole)
Greatwood Gold Cup (2012 Aerial),
Haldon Gold Cup (1998 Lake Kariba, 1999 Flagship Uberalles, 2004 Azertyuiop, 2010 Tchico Polos),
Haydock Park Gold Cup (2003 Shotgun Willy),
Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup (Ireland) (2009 Neptune Collonges),
Hennessy Gold Cup (2003 Strong Flow, 2007 & 2009 Denman),
Henry VIII Novices’ Chase (1998 Dines, 2003 Thisthatandtother, 2007 Marodima, 2011 Al Ferof),
Heroes Handicap Hurdle (2007 Taranis, 2008 The Tother One, 2010 Beshabar),
JNWine.com Champion Chase (2007 Taranis, 2008 & 2010 Kauto Star),
John Durkan Memorial Chase (2008 Noland), Kerrygold Champion Chase (2008 Twist Magic, 2009 Master Minded),
King George VI Chase (1997 & 1999 See More Business, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2011 Kauto Star),
Kingmaker Novices’ Chase (1998 Lake Kariba, 1999 Flagship Uberalles, 2001 Whitenzo, 2002 Armaturk),
Kingwell Hurdle (2001 Azertyuiop, 2004 Rigmarole),
Lanzarote Hurdle (2008 Nycteos),
Leamington Novices’ Hurdle (2006 Be Be King),
Lexus Chase (2007 Denman, 2009 What A Friend, 2012 Tidal Bay )
Lightning Novices’ Chase (2001 Exit To Wave, 2004 Bal de Nuit, 2005 My Will, 2010 Woolcombe Folly),
Long Distance Hurdle (2009, 2010 & 2011 Big Buck’s),
Long Walk Hurdle (2009, 2010 & 2011 Big Buck’s),
National Spirit Hurdle (2011 Celestial Halo),
Newbury Gold Cup Handicap Chase (2006 Cornish Sett(DH), 2008 Natal, 2009 New Little Bric, 2010 Big Fella Thanks),
November Novices’ Chase (1995 Captain Khedive, 1999 Fadalko, 2002 Azertyuiop, 2003 Thisthatandtother, 2008 Tatenen, 2009 Tataniano),
Old Roan Handicap Chase (2006 Kauto Star),
Pendil Novices’ Chase (2006 Napolitain, 2007 Natal, 2008 Oslot, 2009 Herecomesthetruth & 2012 Cristal Bonus),
Persian War Novices’ Hurdle (2007 Elusive Dream, 2008 Hell’s Bay, 2000 Valley Henry, 2010 Silviniaco Conti),
Peterborough Chase (2004 Le Roi Miguel),
Prestbury Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle (2004 Cerium),
Punchestown Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (2003 Sporazene),
Punchestown Gold Cup (2007 & 2008 Neptune Collonges),
Racing Post Chase (2008 Gungadu), Relkeel Hurdle (2000 Mister Banjo),
Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase (2007 Gungadu),
Rising Stars Novices’ Chase (1996 See More Business, 1998 Irbee, 2006 Turko, 2007 Ornais, 2008 Breedsbreeze),
Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (2008 Nozic),
Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase (2006 Napolitain, 2007 New Little Bric, 2008 Silverburn, 2009 Herecomesthetruth),
Scottish Champion Hurdle (1999 Fadalko),
Scottish Grand National (1997 Belmont King),
Servo Computer Services Trophy Handicap Chase (2006 My Will),
Sharp Novices’ Hurdle (1999 Silence Reigns, 2007 I’msingingtheblues),
Silver Trophy Handicap Chase (2002 Fadalko, 2003 Poliantas, 2007 Nycteos),
Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase (2003 Le Roi Miguel),
Tingle Creek Chase (1999 Flagship Uberalles, 2002 Cenkos, 2005 & 2006 Kauto Star, 2007 & 2009 Twist Magic, 2008 & 2010 Master Minded),
Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle (2003 Thisthatandtother, 2006 Noland, 2007 Silverburn, 2008 Breedsbreeze),
totesport.com Becher Chase (2004 Silver Birch, 2006 Eurotrek, 2007 Mr Pointment), Victor Chandler Clarence House Chase (1999 Call Equiname, 2009& 2011 Master Minded, 2010 Twist Magic),
Warfield Mares Hurdle ( 2012 Violin Davies)
Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase (2002 Epervier d’Or, 2005 HooLaBaloo),
Welsh National (2004 Silver Birch, 2005 L’Aventure),
Winter Bumper (2003 Cornish Rebel, 2010 Al Ferof),
Winter Novices’ Hurdle (1995 See More Business, 2004 Ladalko, 2005 Neptune Collonges),
Worcester Novices’ Chase (1993 See More Indians, 1997 Ottowa, 2000 Shotgun Willy, 2001 Valley Henry, 2004 Cornish Rebel, 2009 Michel Le Bon, 2010 Aiteen Thirtythree)
