Category: Trainers and Owners

The trainer known as the ‘Sprint King’ was the late David ‘Dandy’ Nicholls, who died in June, 2017, aged 61. Formerly a successful Flat jockey, with 421 winners to his name, Nicholls turned his hand to training in 1993. Based at Tall Trees Stables in Sessay, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, Nicholls sent out a total of 1,269 winners, but will always be best remembered for his handling of sprinters.

At the highest, Group 1 level, Nicholls won the Nunthorpe Stakes twice, with Ya Malak in 1997 and Bahamian Pirate in 2004, the July Cup with Continent in 2002 and the Haydock Sprint Cup with Regal Parade in 2009. Like someone on a winning run on real money casino games, the man could seemingly do no wrong.  He also enjoyed success on the other side of the English Channel, winning the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp with Continent in 2002 and the Prix Maurice de Gheest with Regal Parade in 2010.

Nevertheless, it was in traditional ‘heritage’ handicaps that Nicholls really came into his own. Like a real money online roulette pro, it all fell right for him. He won the Ayr Gold Cup six times, with Bahamian Pirate in 2000, Continent in 2001, Funfair Wane in 2002 and 2004, Regal Parade in 2008 and Redford in 2010, the Epsom Dash five times, with Ya Malak in 1997, Rudi’s Pet in 2002, Atlantic Viking in 2003, Fire Up The Band in 2005 and Indian Trail in 2009 and the Stewards’ Cup three times, with Tayseer in 2000, Gift Horse in 2005 and Evens And Odds in 2010.

Summing up Nicholls’ career, his son, Adrian, said ‘Somebody may end up with a better record with sprinters one day but, to me, there will only ever be one ‘Sprint King’…’

Queen Elizabeth II was a fan of horse racing from a young age and her love affair with the sport has endured throughout her reign. In fact, Her Majesty was one of the most famous, and well informed, owner-breeders in the country and reportedly read the ‘Racing Post’ over breakfast every morning.

Down the years, the Queen had been fortunate to own several notable performers, including Carrozza, who won the Oaks in 1957, Pall Mall, who won the 2,000 Guineas in 1958, and Highclere, who won the 1,000 Guineas in 1974, to name but three. Indeed, twice during her reign, in 1954 and 1957, she won the British Flat Owners’ Championship.

However, the first racehorse the Queen, or rather Princess Elizabeth, as she was at the time, owned was a steeplechaser and she did so jointly with her mother, the Queen consort. Princess Elizabeth’s interest in National Hunt racing was apparently piqued by popular amateur rider Anthony Bingham Mildmay, second Lord Mildmay of Flete, who stayed at Windsor Castle during Royal Ascot in 1949.

In any event, trainer Peter Cazalet found and acquired an eight-year-old Irish-bred gelding called Monaveen, who had run in the 1949 Grand National, on behalf of his Royal patrons. Monaveen made his debut for his new connections on October 10, 1949 in the Chichester Handicap Chase at Fontwell Park where, ridden by stable jockey Tony Grantham, he beat two opponents with plenty in hand.

The St. Leger is run over 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 115 yards on Town Moor, Doncaster in early September each year. Established in 1776, by the eponymous Major‐General Anthony St Leger, on Cantley Common, east of Doncaster, the St. Leger is the oldest of the five British Classics.

Remarkably, it was not until September 10, 2016, 240 years after the inaugural running, that Epsom trainer Laura Mongan became the first woman to saddle the winner of the St. Leger. On that occasion, Mongan sent out the Lawman colt Harbour Law who, according to official ratings, had 18lb to find with the odds-on favourite, Idaho, and was consequently sent off 22/1 seventh choice of the nine runners.

However, in an eventful race, Idaho stumbled and unseated jockey Seamie Heffernan with three furlongs to run, leaving Harbour Law to fight out the finish with Ventura Storm and Housesofparliament, who were officially rated 9lb and 11lb superior, respectively. Nevertheless, once galvanised by jockey George Baker in the final furlong, Harbour Law stayed in well to lead close home and beat Ventura Storm by three-quarters of a length, with Housesofparliament just a short head further behind in third place. After a stewards inquiry, the placings remained unaltered.

Reflecting on her historic victory, Mongan said, ‘It was brilliant. I think I screamed a lot. I’m in shock.’

The late Fred Winter dominated the world of National Hunt racing between the early Fifties and the early Eighties, first as a jockey and afterwards as a trainer. He is rightly remembered as one of the greats of the sport and is commemorated by the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle, run annually at the Cheltenham Festival.

Winter was champion jockey four times, including three in a row between 1955 and 1957, and champion trainer eight times, including five in a row between 1971 and 1975. Indeed, he remains the only person to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Grand National and Champion Hurdle as a jockey and as a trainer.

At the time of his retirement from the saddle in April, 1964, Winter had ridden a then-record 932 winners. He began training at Uplands Stables in Lambourn, Berkshire with just five horses and, by his own admission, ‘no idea’ about his training ability. Nevertheless, he won the Grand National with Jay Trump in his first season as a trainer and again, with Anglo, in his second. Winter had to wait a little longer for his one and only Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Midnight Court, in 1978, but by that time had already won the Champion Hurdle three times, with Bula in 1971 and 1972 and Lanzarote in 1974.

Sadly, in August, 1987, Winter suffered a stroke, which left him wheelchair-bound and unable to speak or write. He was forced to cede his licence to Charlie Brooks, but had saddled 1,557 winners, imcluding 28 at the Cheltenham Festival.