The Cheltenham Festival is almost here and top English trainer Paul Nicholls will fancy his chances throughout the week – but how many winners has he trained going into the 2024 meeting?
Paul Nicholls Has Trained 48 Cheltenham Festival Winners
There are only two trainers in the history of the Cheltenham Festival who have trained more winners than Paul Nicholls.
Willie Mullins leads the way with 94, Nicky Henderson trails with 73 and Nicholls slots behind in third with 48.
The 14-time British jump racing Champion Trainer will have his eyes set on surpassing 50 winners in total at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
Paul Nicholls First Cheltenham Festival Winner Was Flagship Uberalles In 1999
The Paul Nicholls Cheltenham Festival story started back in 1999, when his Flagship Uberalles won the Arkle – a race he’s now won two times in total.
Call Equiname gave Nicholls his second Cheltenham Festival winner later that week in the Champion Chase. A memorable meeting was topped off by Gold Cup glory on Friday when See More Business landed the most prestigious honour in chasing.
Since then, Paul Nicholls has had plenty of big race success at the Festival including a further three Gold Cups, five Champion Chases and a Champion Hurdle.
Paul Nicholls Trained Two Cheltenham Festival Winners In 2023
Paul Nicholls is as big as 100/1 with the best UK horse racing betting sites to be the 2024 Cheltenham top trainer for the seventh time.
Nicholls has been the top handler at the meeting on six occasions between 1999 and 2009, but it will prove very difficult to top Willie Mullins.
Paul Nicholls 2023 Cheltenham Festival Winners
- Stage Star – Turners Novices’ Chase
- Stay Away Fay – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Both Stage Star (Ryanair Chase) and Stay Away Fay (Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase) will be back in action at the Cheltenham Festival 2024.
Paul Nicholls Has Been The Cheltenham Festival Top Trainer Six Times
Trainer Paul Nicholls has also been the Cheltenham Festival top trainer six times – all coming in a span of ten years from 1999 to 2009 where he dominated affairs.
The first top trainer award at the meeting came in 1999, when three winners landed the prize for him. He won the award on four straight occasions from 2006 to 2009.
His biggest haul in one meeting to date was in 2009 when Paul Nicholls sent out five winners over the 28 races. This works out that the top English trainer won 18% of the Cheltenham races that year.
Years Paul Nicholls Has Been Top Cheltenham Festival Trainer
- 2009: Paul Nicholls (5)
- 2008: Paul Nicholls (3)
- 2007: Paul Nicholls (4)
- 2006: Paul Nicholls (3)
- 2004: Paul Nicholls (4)
- 1999: Paul Nicholls (3)
Paul Nicholls Main Runners At The 2024 Cheltenham Festival
With two winners, Paul Nicholls would reach 50 at the Cheltenham Festival – what are his best chances?
- Stay Away Fay – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
- Teeshan – Champion Bumper
- Ginny’s Destiny – Turners Novices’ Chase
- Stage Star – Ryanair Chase
- Captain Teague – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
- Bravemansgame – Gold Cup
Note: All figures correct as 29th Feb 2024
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