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Paul Nicholls born in Bristol in 1962, Nicholls progressed as a schoolboy via gymkhana, hunting and point-to-pointing , rode as an amateur for Les Kennard and then worked for Josh Gifford. In the 1980s he made his mark as a professional jump jockey, riding for the most part for trainer David Barons. In the 80s he rode 130 winners under Rules and rode in two Grand Nationals without getting round the course, but this could be deemed as anyone but his fault as on both occasions he was racing outsiders - Roman Bistro a 150-1 chance and Another Duke, who had odds of 200-1. His riding career was cut short by injury and he started out as a trainer with just eight horses in 1991. He enjoyed such quick success, that by the late 1990s he was the only trainer capable of challenging the great Martin Pipe stable - challenging him for the position of Champion Trainer every year from 1999 to 2005. For years they battled with each-other for the prestigious title, and in 2005 Pipe became Champion Trainer for the 15th time winning £2,827,073 from 1,168 runners while Nicholls earned £2,754,204 from just 709 runners. Then, probably much to Pipe's disgust, in 2005-06; Pipes' final season; Nicholls took the Champion Trainer title for the first time, and retained it the following year with prize money of almost £3 million, more than £1 million more than his nearest rivals David Pipe and Jonjo O'Neill. Nicholls has kept his title up, having won it every year since and no one can accuse it of happening through chance. At his yard at Ditcheat, near Shepton Mallet in Somerset, Nicholls filled boxes as fast as he could build them and has strived hard to maintain his status as Champion Trainer. He currently trains 120 horses, and cannot possibly fit more in - if he would he could. One of his current horses is Kauto Star, from France who just won in the Betfair Chase and will be running in the King George on Boxing Day. Even though Nicholls has an outstanding record as a jumps trainer, he like jockey AP McCoy has had the unenviable distinction of being most frustrated with his entries to the Grand National. Between 1992 and 2007 he had 37 runners in the race, yet only 7 completed the course. Until 2005 not one of them even finished in a place, but that changed with Royal Auclair who finished runner-up to Hedgehunter. The 2009 National saw My Will, the 8-1 favourite, ridden by Ruby Walsh finish third, so maybe things are looking up for Nicholls. This year it is speculated that at least three of Nicholls horses will run in the Grand National - Denman, the nine year old who won the 2007-08 Cheltenham Gold Cup, ahead of runner up Kuato Star; Big Fella Thanks who came 6th in the 2009 National, but at just 7 years old at the time could prove to be a winner this year; and French bred gelding My Will who placed third in last year's National.
You can learn about famous grand national trainers at grand-national.me.uk.
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