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“I’ve long thought Nicholls is possibly a difficult character to work with”.
I expect one or two ex-jockeys would concur”.
I think he’s treated some of his jockeys badly especially when they’ve been injured. I used to really dislike him but did change my mind slightly when I read his autobiography and realised how hard he’d had to work for his success. How much of an input did Dan give when he was assistant trainer? Or PN’s ex wife? Not to mention Ruby. Perhaps stables only achieve when there are many people working well together and it doesn’t take a lot to lose that. Kim Baileys fall from the top tier seemed to be a combination of his rather high profile divorce and moving to a new stable that had some sort of contamination problem. He was, however, one of the first trainers I can remember that did a daily blog which was very forward thinking.No matter how good a trainer is if they don’t have to horses or the staff then they can’t succeed
“Particularly Sam Thomas and Daryl Jacob”.
They were the two I had in mind, particularly Thomas (who it appeared was never forgiven for the defeat of Big Bucks in the Hennessy).
I am not sure Sam Twiston Davies got 100% backing all the time either.
I suspect Nicholls got tired of the Bryony Frost situation as well.
Cobden was the first rider to nail down the Nicholls stable jockey job as his own after Walsh moved on.
I don’t think Mullins is any better a trainer than Nicholls same with Aiden O’Brien is any better than John Gosden, in my humble opinion I don’t think so. The way I see it is that Closutton and Ballydoyle have become like corporate superpowers with the backing and fire power other people can’t compete with. They are more like CEOs delegating their empires and they both do a fine job, of that there is no doubt. Take “the lads” away from Ballydoyle I wonder where Aiden would be.
The more I know the less I understand.
Agreed, RTB: Willie’s interview after Poniros had won the Triumph Hurdle spoke volumes – he barely knew anything about the horse.
“Take “the lads” away from Ballydoyle I wonder where Aiden would be”
Probably gearing up to win his twentieth Champion Hurdle!
There was something rather unpleasant about the way Nicholls and Ruby turned on Sam immediately after Big Buck’s fall ( or unseat?).I think it formed my opinion of the stable which persisted for many years afterwards.
When Sam Thomas was riding i seem to remember he was plagued with whispers about his commitment and also weight struggles. I cant imagine you get away with much under Nicholls.
I think STD and Jacobs both struggled in the shadow of walsh.
He’s been down from the pinnacle for a fair while. Since the Gold Cup years he had enough horses to sustain him at the premier end of things. Horses like Silviniaco Conti , Clan Des Obeaux, Frodon.
That flow of good horses has come to an abrupt halt with once good prospects like Stay Away Fay, Gellino Bello etc barely able to complete a race anymore.
Obviously he’s had rotten luck with two of the leading lights this season but he doesn’t seem to have much ammunition at a middling level either.
A protege, Anthony Honeyball seems to have a lot more runners in feature handicap chases for instance.Perhaps trying to vie with the best from Ireland has ripped out the underbelly of developing good handicappers.
I enjoy some of his bellicose nature and hope he does enjoy some success for a while. I think having slipped a bit he is unlikely to regather pre eminence.
Good to see Andrew Brooks staying loyal though🙂.
Fashions change and it seems many want younger trainers hence a lot of this dual licence nonsense.
The west country took over the mantle of leading jumps yards from Lambourn some decades back. It seems to be gravitating to Warwickshire now. I wonder if Ditcheat, possibly not the most attractive of yards is appealing enough for prospective owners. Henderson has a big advantage over Paul with Seven Barrows there. That said, Henderson has been on the skids for years apart from a few wayward and bizarrely campaigned superstars.
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