Leading owner Johnny de la Hey has removed all horses from Paul Nicholls, marking a significant shift in their long-standing partnership. This decision comes after nearly all of the De La Heys’ jumps horses were trained by Nicholls since the 2009-10 season, during which they achieved notable success.
The decisive moment occurred recently when de la Hey took away a total of 11 horses from Nicholls’ stable, with 7 horses now set to be trained by Dan Skelton and the remaining 4 horses split between Jamie Snowden and Chris Gordon. This shift reflects a considerable change in the dynamics of their racing partnership.
The direct effects of this decision are multifaceted for both parties involved. For the De La Heys, this marks the end of an era during which they secured 123 jumps winners from 652 runners, achieving a commendable 19 percent strike rate. Their total prize-money won during this period amounted to £3,754,638.
Nicholls expressed disappointment over the removal of the horses, stating, “It’s disappointing after all the success we have had together.” He further reflected on the emotional toll of such changes in ownership dynamics, saying, “I’ve never had to deal with that in my career and I did find it hard – you start asking yourself what you’re doing wrong.” Despite this setback, he added, “I wish Johnny all the best,” indicating a desire to maintain professionalism amid personal disappointment.
The historical context surrounding this partnership is significant; for instance, Cyrname won the Ascot Chase in 2019 by an impressive margin of 17 lengths under Nicholls’ training. However, recent trends show that Nicholls has faced multiple high-profile owners moving their horses away from his stable, raising questions about his current standing in the competitive landscape of horse training.
This development may also have implications for the individual horses involved. For example, Old Park Star and Kabral Du Mathan both achieved notable victories after leaving Nicholls’ care—Old Park Star won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for Nicky Henderson while Kabral Du Mathan triumphed at Cheltenham. Such outcomes may influence future decisions by owners regarding where to place their horses.