Imperial Commander

Dunno, mate - only just got around to reading the newspaper.Nearly wrote exactly the same thing as you about him talking about other people's horses - he's also quoted as saying Long Run 'has been a bit novicey in some of his jumping' - now, call me old fashioned but that might have something to do with the fact that Long Run was a novice!

You'd think he'd be happy to talk about his horse all day long without the need to crab the others.

He's probably a nice enough man, but he just comes across poorly with his comments and attitude in the media. He just doesn't come across as well as PFN in the media. When Denman answered all questions about him in last years Hennessy you could see Paul was reduced to tears. Things like that just make you like Nicholls.

Seems like its a 3 race campaign....Betfair Chase/KG and Gold Cup.

He was poor at Aintree...but he never has run well at Aintree or Kempton which is why I'm surprised they are heading to the KG again after him performing so poorly 2 years in a row around Kempton.

he's a nob....aren't we getting close to the point of the season where we'll all be told...."they're not running bad, it's just that they're all badly handicapped now"

He is a very nice guy and a lot shrewder than most people understand.

Duffy - he understands fully he doesn't have the quality of horse to compete in peak season, hence the reason he starts early and gets as many winners on the board as possible before the main stables step up there number of runners. On that basis and given the quality of horses he has the stable form can never be maintained throughout the season. He wins more races with moderate horses than any other trainer in the game, be interesting to see what some of the so called top trainers could produce if they were dealt the same hand.

As for his comments now billed by the RP as a "stable tour" !!!! - We were asked to host the day by Betfair and Haydock Park to promote the Betfair Chase - he simply answered the questions he was asked honestly and openly. As he was asked specifically about other horses I cannot see why he should be criticised for answering the points raised. Having been subjected to the disgrace that was the "two horse" gold cup promotion using £400,000 of Levy funds (promoting not only two horses but one stable) I cannot see why he should be criticised for fighting his own corner.

i'll replace 'sneaky' with subtle.

Wilf McG u i nness, ffs!

Reaseheath - The £400k produced a lower TV audience than the previous Denman / Kauto clash - Gold Cup day was sold out but would have been anyway, and the only beneficiary was Cheltenham racecourse. Racing For Small Change claim it was a success because of the additional media coverage generated, as ever it is something that cannot be measured and therefore leaves them without accountability.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, my point is simply that the blunt honesty of a the less than media savvy NTD should be seen in the context of the questions he was asked. He is a true sportsman, their may be a view that he over faces his horses on occasions - but as I said in my earlier post he doesn't have the ammunition of the bigger stables and simply cannot compete when the main strings of the top yards are unleashed - but he doesn't believe in giving up and he counteracts that by targeting the beginning and the end of the season, and taking the occasional leap of faith.Year on year he manages to achieve remarkable results, with a fraction of the investment of the top yards. He has great days and bad days, takes them all in his stride then gets up the next morning and kicks on again. Above all he is an all round good egg, and if he can help anyone he will - the sport needs more like him. 

Other trainers are simply much more media savvy and can use the media in more subtle way - that doesn't make them better for the sport.

Lets be honest guys, for as good a trainer as Paul Nicholls is, he gets most of his owners because hes got the gift of the gab.

If NTD had the same string of horses that Nicolls does then he would do as well or probably even better.

I don't think the gift of the gab gets you most of your owners ??  Surely your training ability?


Gift of The Gab would mean Linda Perratt would be champion trainer in that case  [;)]

steeplechasing, his halo didnt slip, its just he bred for the lat and cant jump. he fell

Lets get one thing straight, PFN is briliantly savvy with the media, but his gift of the gab is not the only reason why he attracts horses and owners - its also because he is a brilliant trainer and results count. Yes, its easier to train a high quality string, but he invarably has his horses 'right' on the big day and they usually hold their form, they rarely run out of form. Can anyone remember him having a really bad year, or periods where his horses run particularly poorly? Of course last yr they had a patchy yr, but when does he have a dire yr? I dont for a second believe this is only cos he has quality horses - some quality horses get sent to some trainers and they **** it up. Nicholls rarely does. As a punter, i know he runs his horses as straight as anyone, and i know they they are usually 'sweet' and 'right' - that might be easier to achieve with good horses, but anyone who thinks having good horses is the only important ingredient are deluded. NTD is a good trainer, and a nice guy seemingly, and i love what he brings to the game. I also back lots of his horses.

Im not for one minute suggesting that PN isnt a very good trainer. Im merely saying that he got himself to a certain level as a trainer & then kicked on to the next level, by putting himself into the public using the media via television, newspapers etc.

Look Steeplechasing, I know you dislike Nicholls for what happened with Sam and the Tingle Creek. But he is an excellent trainer and couldn't get to where he is without being one.

Bobby owns IC and NTD has trained him to a Gold Cup win. So he'll know him well as a man, and as I said I'm sure he's a very nice chap.

As for the 2 horse race Gold Cup, you know why they did it. They were trying to promote the sport to the wider world. Of course it wasn't a two horse race, nobody really thought as much.

What I would have done if I were NTD would of been happy to fly below the radar, let them underestimate your horse, there is no disadvantage to that since talking is done on the track.

As far as it's Denman and Kauto who have things to answer, the former yes the latter? He fell in the Gold Cup and won his other two starts last season, IC won the gold cup, lost his other three starts (two to Kauto) and fell on his last start also. It's not as simple as that but I've never heard a word of praise about Kauto Star from NTD.

I do agree with him though that t's moronic to say IC cant go right handed when he had legitimate reasons for his failure on his last 3 starts right handed.

CV - ultimately the difference is in the quality of the horses. Whilst Martin Pipe relied on one key owner PN has assembled a group of owners who can fund a constant supply of new talent. He has  feeder yards in Ireland and the Uk, as well as access to the best of the french recruits. As such he starts with a massive advantage, indeed the only trainer with access to the same sort of funding and backing is NH and it is no coincidence that these are the only two stables with a chance of winning the trainers championship.

PN and NH are absolutely top class trainers of great ability, but their superiority is based upon the ammunition they have available - IMHO given a level playing field there are a few others who could do equally as well.

Absolutely not Lee SHA, training is like any other business it requires a number of key skills. Top of the list is the ability to organise, effective communication and the ability to build personal relationships. Neither PN or NH inherited this position they built it bit by bit, and in PNs case it is simply a phenomenal rise. He deserves huge credit for what he has achieved. It is this expertise that has allowed him to develop and keep his ownership base and build his "dream team" string. 

My point is simply that the difference between the top two and the rest is not the ability to train horses, it is in other areas. Both PN and NH are absolutely top class trainers, but what sets them apart from other top class trainers is not in the training of horses.

Sorry Steeple if that read as having a go at you - it wasn't supposed to, or at anyone particularly.

I stick by my point that, however, that excellent PR skills are not enough (John Edwards proved, in a reverse way unfortunately, that they are part of it), and neither are good horses alone - though good horses are a massive help. The ability to maintain a strings form and campaign and sweeten horses are definate skills. IMHO Venetia WIlliams does as well as anyone given the limitations of her string, and she has demonstrated when she is given quality horses she can win big races.

Steeple - i certainly agree with that, i do not agree with the heroic man version of history, as some would have us believe, and think (like you) that it reflects well on him to have engaged good staff/facilities/horses/owners etc. In fact, maybe more than most other trainers, PFN is always quick to emphasise it is a 'team' effort. I just also think that some people who employ the best facilities/horses/owners/staff still manage to mess it up. Godolphin for instance! But i suspect there is not much difference between our opinions.

And yes, nice to see it all picking up momentum - and its not even November yet! Thanks, RC.

lol v funny