Optimistic Nicholls has slight change of tactics in store

For many trainers, ending the season with 99 winners and over £2.5million in prize-money would be a job well done – but Paul Nicholls is gunning to come back stronger.

Nicholls has been champion trainer 14 times, so watching Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton fight it out for the title for the last two seasons has not sat well with the fiercely-competitive master of Ditcheat.

However, there were green shoots in the spring, with the likes of Caldwell Potter, who won at both Cheltenham and Aintree, Kalif Du Berlais, Blueking d’Oroux, Regent’s Stroll and Quebecois all showing they have bright futures next term.

Barring the covid-affected season of 2019-20, the campaign just finished was Nicholls’ worst numerically since 2000-01.

“Hopefully next year we have some really smart horses coming through and hopefully we can have a thin-out and get some more in and really look forward to next season,” said Nicholls.

“We made one error and I bought too many store horses. They take a bit of time and we’ve got some good ones coming through, but not as many as there should have been and we might have to revisit what we’re doing a little bit.

“But a football team can’t win the Premier League every year and it depends on the players you’ve got.

“The spring has been good to us and a lot of those young horses have come forward and come good and will be fine next year.

“If you have nearly 100 winners and £2.5million in prize-money, you have to say you have had a good season.”