Looking Ahead to the Jump Season – Paul Nicholls

Profile

Paul Nicholls (born 1962) is one of Britain’s most successful National Hunt trainers, based at Ditcheat in Somerset. Over his career, he has trained over 3,500 winners, including more than 200 at the Grade 1 level, with champions such as Denman, Kauto Star, and Silviniaco Conti.

Nicholls has claimed the Champion Trainer title 14 times, and his yard has consistently produced top performers at major festivals, including Cheltenham, Aintree, and Sandown. Known for developing novices into elite chasers and hurdlers, his stable typically handles 100–140 runners per season, combining traditional horsemanship with modern training methods. Despite recent challenges including horse departures and dips in strike rate, he remains a leading figure in British jump racing.

The 2024/25 Season

The 2025/26 season will be one of much anticipation for Paul Nicholls in a much-needed attempt to right the wrongs of last season. It was an uncharacteristically poor season, most notably in January and February, with an 8-10% strike rate. Further adding to previous season’s downs was a poor Cheltenham and Aintree festival. 

Cheltenham offered little hope of redemption, with only one winner across the festival in the Brown Advisory. Aintree followed suit with no grade one winners. Notable star horses failed to perform. Most notably, Bravemansgame, Stage Star and Hitman didn’t live up to preseason expectations. In terms of prize money, he hauled in £2.9 million, which can be deemed as low when compared to previous seasons. 

Elsewhere, Nicholls notably fell short at Chepstow, previously having a 26% strike rate. Last season, he failed to score in the opening October meeting for the first time since 1997. While this may not seem worth noting, Nicholls has long done well at this meeting and suits the staying strong novices, for which he is famous. His historical top horses such as Denman have started in races of a similar nature. The team at Ditcheat see the meeting as a predictor for the season ahead.

Looking Ahead to the 2025/26 Season 

There have been a number of crucial losses to the first team at Ditcheat, which will undoubtedly cause some preseason worries. Kabral Du Mathan and Farland have both moved to Dan Skelton, while the influential owners Gordon and Su Hall have switched a whole group, including Ginny’s Destiny, Don’t Tell Su, Act Of Innocence, and Old Park Star, to Nicky Henderson. Nicholls has also lost Sinnatra, another promising young horse, to Skelton. Perhaps most symbolic of the transition at Ditcheat, former King George winner Bravemansgame has been transferred to France to continue his career with Marine Pineda after his form tailed off last season. Together, these departures strip Nicholls of both proven Grade 1 talent and a clutch of exciting prospects, leaving notable gaps in his team for the year ahead.

On a more positive note, Freddie Keighley becomes the newest addition to the “Nicholls Academy”. Keighley has previously won the Shetland Pony Grand National in 2021 and has done well on the point-to-point scene. He looks like a promising young talent who should get a couple of rides from October. 

Paul Nicholls goes into the new jumps campaign with a reshaped but still formidable team, and several established names stand out as potential flagbearers. Blueking D’oroux, who showed staying promise last term, looks set for a crack at major staying hurdles such as the Long Walk or the Stayers’, while classy juvenile Kabral Du Mathan is being readied for handicaps before switching to fences. Caldwell Potter, a Grade 1-winning hurdler, makes his eagerly awaited chasing debut and could become one of the yard’s standard-bearers, alongside Inthewaterside and Kalif Du Berlais both of whom carry long-term Gold Cup potential. With Rubaud and Sonigino also likely to make their mark in high-class novice chases, Nicholls appears well stocked with horses capable of keeping him competitive at the very top level.

Alongside his proven performers, Nicholls has invested heavily in new talent, adding fresh intrigue to the Ditcheat team. Regent’s Stroll, a record £660,000 bumper buy, is the most eye-catching arrival and will debut over hurdles with lofty expectations. Act Of Innocence, snapped up for £255,000, is another horse who could make a rapid impact once switched to timber, while French-bred Miss Altea Blue looks a progressive mare likely to pick up black-type before long. Gold Cast, secured for £260,000, adds further depth to the novice chase division and signals Nicholls’s determination to restock with genuine quality. If even a couple of these expensive acquisitions live up to their billing, they could become the backbone of the yard’s next wave of big-race challengers.

What to Expect

Despite the summer upheaval, Paul Nicholls enters the new jumps season with a well-balanced mix of proven performers, emerging talent, and high-profile newcomers. Blueking D’oroux and Inthewaterside look set to spearhead his challenge in top staying hurdles such as the Long Walk and Stayers’, while chasing debutants Caldwell Potter and Kalif Du Berlais could be aimed at key mid-season Grade 1 chases, including the King George VI. In the novice chasing division, Rubaud, Sonigino, and recruit Gold Cast provide depth for Cheltenham and Aintree Festival targets, with Act Of Innocence, Miss Altea Blue, and £660,000 bumper buy Regent’s Stroll adding further quality over hurdles. Realistically, Nicholls will aim to maintain a strong presence in the trainer standings, capitalise on selective big-race opportunities, and develop his younger stars, with the potential for a season that transforms a period of transition into renewed competitiveness at the highest level.

Paul Nicholls is a mainstay in horse racing and is excellent for the longevity of the sport. The battle between Henderson and Mullins across the big festivals will be one to watch.