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Paul Nicholls

admin February 24, 2026

To aficiandos of National Hunt racing, Paul Nicholls requires little or no introduction. Based at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, Somerset, he won the National Hunt Trainers’ Championship no fewer than 14 times between 2005/06 and 2022/23, his sequence interrupted by only Nicky Henderson and, more recently, by Willie Mullins.

Formerly stable jockey and assistant trainer to the late David Barons in Kingsbridge, Devon, Nicholls set up in his own right at Manor Farm Stables, which he rented from his “mentor, friend and adviser”, the late Paul Barber, in 1991. Starting out with just eight horses, he saddled his first winner, Olveston, ridden by Hywel Davies, in a novices’ handicap chase at Hereford on December 20, 1991.

Fast forward 27 years or so and, on April 18, 2019, Nicholls reached the landmark of 3,000 National Hunt winners on British soil, courtesy of Kupatana, ridden by Harry Cobden, in a mares’ novices’ handicap chase at Cheltenham. In so doing, he became just the third trainer in history, after Martin Pipe and Nicky Henderson, to achieve the feat. At the time of writing, Nicholls is on the cusp of becoming the most prolific British National Hunt trainer ever, with his eyes set firmly on the record 3,930 winners achieved by Martin Pipe.

Nicholls saddled his first Grade 1 winner, See More Indiams, owned by Paul Barber and ridden by Graham Bradley, in the Feltham Novices’ Chase at Kempton on December 27, 1993. He saddled his first Cheltenham Festival winner, Flagship Uberalles, ridden by Joe Tizzard, in the Arkle Challenge Trophy Novice Chase on March 16, 1999, quickly followed by his second and third, Call Equiname in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and See More Business in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, both ridden by Mick Fitzgerald.

Those three winners were sufficient to become leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival for the first time and he did so again in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. On March 13, 2025, he reached a career half century of winners at the March showpiece, courtesty of Caldwell Potter, ridden by Harry Cobden, in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase. Nicholls has won the Queen Mother Champion Chase a co-record six times, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Stayers’ Hurdle four times apiece (another record in the case of the latter), the Ryanair Chase three times and the Champion Hurdle once.

Nicky Henderson

admin February 24, 2026

Born in Lambeth, Central London on December 10, 1950, Nicholas John ‘Nicky’ Henderson was educated at Eton College before joining the legendary Fred Winter at Uplands Stables in Upper Lambourn, Berkshire as amateur rider-cum-assistant trainer in 1972. In July 1978, he began training in his own right at Windsor House Stables in nearby Lambourn, saddling his first winner, Dukery, in a novice hurdle at Uttoxeter on October 14, 1978.

In the early part of his career – that is, before he moved to his current base, Seven Barrows, back in Upper Lambourn, in 1992 – Henderson sent out no fewer than 14 Cheltenham Festival winners. His early tally included the Champion Hurdle three times, with the talented, but fragile, See You Then in 1985, 1986 and 1987, the Triumph Hurdle twice, with First Bout in 1985 and Alone Success in 1987 and the Arkle Challenge Trophy once, with Remittance Man in 1991. Indeed, Henderson also won the National Hunt Trainers’ Championship in both 1985/86 and 1986/87.

Since moving to Seven Barrows, Henderson, 75, has won the National Hunt Trainers’ Championship four more times, in 2012/13, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2019/20. At the Cheltenham Festival, where he has been leading trainer three times, in 2000, 2010 and 2012, he has saddled a total of 75 winners, placing him second on the all-time list, behind only the indomitable Willie Mullins (whom he once described as a “good mate”). Of the feature races at the Festival, he has won the Champion Hurdle a record nine times, the Queen Mother Champion Chase a co-record six times and the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Stayers’ Hurdle and Ryanair Chase twice apiece. His 2023 Champion Hurdle winner, Constitution Hill, is a top-priced 100/30 to win again in 2026, following an impressive Flat debut at Southwell.

On July 31, 2018, Henderson reached the milestone of 3,000 National Hunt winners, courtesy of Brave Eagle, ridden by James Bowen, in a beginners’ chase at Worcester. He quipped, “It’s taken 40 years for 3,000, but I’m not going to try to double it!” adding, “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and we haven’t finished yet.”

Olly Murphy

admin February 24, 2026

Olly Murphy is the son of former trainer Anabel Murphy (née King) and spent four years as assistant trainer to Gordon Elliott in Longwood, Co. Meath before taking out a licence in his own right. Based at Warren Chase Stables, a converted stud in the village of Wilmcote, near Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, Murphy made an immediate impact, saddling a winner with his first-ever runner, Dove Mountain, ridden by Luke Morris, in a mile-and-a-quarter handicap on the Flat at Brighton on July 4, 2017. Five days later, on July 9, 2017, his first two runners under National Hunt Rules, Gold Class, ridden by Bryony Frost, and Banff, ridden by Gina Andrews, finished first and second in a lady amateur riders’ handicap hurdle at Market Rasen. Shortly afterwards, he said, “We’ve had a magic start. It’s been the kind of thing we could only have dreamt of.”

After saddling 47 winners in his inaugural season, Murphy maintained his momentum, with 82, 67, 80, 92 and 81 winners in the next five seasons, before reaching his maiden century, with 102 winners, in 2023/24. He trained his first Grade 1 winner, Itchy Feet, ridden by Gavin Sheehan, in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown on February 1, 2020 and his second, Strong Leader, in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree on April 13, 2024.

The 2024/25 National Hunt season, which he later described as “a breakthrough year in many ways”, proved to be his best yet, numerically and fiscally. Murphy saddled 141 winners from 570 runners, at a healthy 25% strike rate, and amassed £1.71 million in total prize money, which was enough to finish fifth in the National Hunt Trainers’ Championship. High-profile victories that season included Pickanumber, ridden by Dylan Johnston, in the Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock in May, Sure Touch, ridden by Harry Cobden, in the Summer Plate Handicap Chase at Market Rasen in July, Booster Bob in the Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury and Go Dante in the Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle at Sandown, both in March, and Resplendent Glory in the Bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase, also at Sandown, in April; the last three named were all ridden by Sean Bowen.

Horse Trainer: Dan Skelton

admin February 23, 2026

Dan Skelton is the son of former Olympic showjumper Nick Skelton and the elder brother of former champion National Hunt jockey Harry Skelton. After serving a lengthy apprenticeship as assistant trainer to Paul Nicholls in Ditcheat, Somerset, Skelton took out a licence in his own right at Lodge Hill in Shelfield Green, near Alcester, Warwickshire in 2013. He saddled his first winner, Mister Grez, ridden by his brother, in a handicap chase at Ffos Las on October 13, 2013. A little over two months later, on December 21, 2013, he saddled his first high-profile winner, Willow’s Saviour, in The Ladbroke at Ascot, which he later acknowledged as the jumping-off point for his training career.

After saddling 27 winners and 73 in his second, Skelton trained over 100 winners in a season for the first time in 2015/16 and has repeated the feat every season since. Indeed, in 2018/19, he saddled 205 winners, thereby becoming just the second National Hunt trainer, after the record-breaking Martin Pipe, too pass 200 winners in a single season. In terms of prize money, on which the National Hunt Trainers’ Championship is decided, Skelton recorded his highest tally so far, £3.4 million, in 2024/25, but once again played second fiddle to Willie Mullins, having topped the table for most of the season, as he had done in 2023/24.

Skelton reached the milestone of 1,000 career winners with Faivoir, ridden by Harry Skelton, in a novices’ limited handicap chase at Ascot on November 19, 2021. On March 17, 2023, Faivoir, ridden by Bridget Andrews, went on to win the County Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, the race in which he saddled his first Festival winner, Superb Story (2016), Mohaayed (2018) and Ch’tibello (2019). All told, Skelton currently has 11 Cheltenham Festival winners to his name, the most recent of which was The New Lion (ante-post favourite for the 2026 Champion Hurdle), again ridden by Harry Skelton, in the Turner Novices’ Hurdle on March 12, 2025. He is no stranger to Grade 1 success, either, with 13 winners at the highest level to his name at the time of writing.

Horse Trainer: Ben Pauling

admin February 23, 2026

Formerly assistant trainer to Nicky Henderson, Ben Pauling began training in his own right at Bourton Hill Farm in Bourton-on-the-Water, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 2013 with just eight horses. He saddled his first winner, Raven’s Tower – whom he later described as “a very special horse” – ridden by David Bass, in a handicap hurdle at Plumpton on November 4, 2013.

After training nine winners in his inaugural season, Pauling gradually increased his annually tally to 20, 26, 32, 36 and 44 in the next five years. His early flag-bearer was Bartons Hill, who won seven races for the yard in 2014/15 and 2015/16, most notably including the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury on December 29, 2015. Sadly, Barters Hill suffered a serious tendon injury on his chasing debut at Cheltenham the following November and, following a lengthy spell on the sidelines, was never the same horse again.

Nevertheless, Pauling did manage to send out three Cheltenham Festival winners during his time at Bourton Hill Farm, namely Willoughby Court, ridden by David Bass, in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle in 2017, Le Breuil, ridden by Jamie Codd, in the National Hunt Chase in 2019 and Global Citizen in the Grand Annual Chase in 2022. Shortly afterwards, Pauling his string to his new, state-of-the-art training facility at nearby Naunton Downs Estate and has continued on an upward curve ever since.

In 2022/23, Pauling saddled a career-best 80 winners, thereby breaking into the top 10 in the National Hunt Trainers’ Championship for the first time and, the following season, increased his Cheltenham Festival tally to four winners, courtesy of Shakem Up’Arry in the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase on March 14, 2024. More recent high-profile winners for the yard include The Jukebox Man in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day 2024, Handstands in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown the following February and The Jukebox Man, again, in the King George VI Chase back at Kempton on Boxing Day 2025. Currently unbeaten over fences, the latter is trading as low as 8/1 co-favourite of three for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Horse Trainer: Clive Cox

admin February 4, 2026

A long-established elite thoroughbred horse trainer in the United Kingdom, Clive Cox is a very shrewd trainer, astute buyer of equine talent, and exceptional at placing his horses to win. He gained his licence in 1999 and really hasn’t put a foot wrong. You can put this down to one major attribute – true professionalism. I’ve always been struck by his attitude when giving interviews on TV, with his very calm demeanour and knowledgeable approach, which excels.

His years of experience have seen achievements including Group 1 status and a particular quality for training sprinters and very talented two-year-old horses.

Cox started his career in racing as a National Hunt jockey. He rode almost 100 winners. However, his heart was always in training horses. In fact, his first role as assistant trainer was with the late Mikie Heaton-Ellis. Upon the passing of his mentor in 1999, Cox decided it was time to put his talent to business and attained his trainer’s licence, leaving Barbury Castle in the heart of Wiltshire. By the year 2000, he had relocated to Lambourn at Beechdown Stables, where he resides to this day.

The stable is situated in a private and peaceful location on the chalk downlands. There are various turf gallops and a seven-furlong all-weather surface with a steady incline, ideal for building stamina. They have the capacity to stable 96 horses, with a mix of traditional and American-style barns, along with indoor schooling, starting stalls, a horse walker, paddock, and turnout pens. In addition, they have four horse boxes for transportation.

Cox’s achievements have been many, including exceptional sprinters, Group 1 winners, and a number of horses tasting glory at Royal Ascot.

Here are a few of the exceptional talents: Gilt Edge Girl, Reckless Abandon, Profitable, My Dreamboat, Lethal Force, Nando Parrado, and Harry Angel, to name just a few.

From a smaller yard, he has proven a powerhouse who can rival the largest training establishments. It is for this reason he has trained numerous Group winners and has the ambition for more.

After following horse racing for over 40 years, Clive Cox is one of my favourites, and he has a quiet charm which makes him stand out from the crowd.

A fantastic trainer.