Paul Nicholls humble message to Henderson on Twitter

Sometimes when you are trying to be tongue in cheek it doesn't come across too well on that kind of platform. When you say something to someones face you can let them know you are joking with expression etc. No problem with that for me.

When it comes to how likeable and helpful trainers are Nicholls and Pipe top the list with Henderson 2nd from bottom, only the insufferable Nigel Twiston Davies is worse than him.

Over here I love how mullins gives a run down of his days runners and his opinions on their chances on his site. Very helpful.

I like the open trainers that do as you say but I don't like the way PF almost comes across like a tipster of his own horses because it makes him either look like a guesser or more likely that he holds back on what he really fancies. Zarkander for today for example.

The fact that him and some others are a little more open than some trainers outeay the above though for me and he deserves respect for at least attempting to be open to the public.

I think he's as honest about his horses as possible. Trainers don't always know when their horses will win.

Agree totally cvb.

Everyone seems to think trainers are psychic.

It's a lose lose situation really, if he's confident in a horse and expresses that and the horse loses then he'll anger punters, while on the flip side if he plays it safe and one of his hacks up he again angers punters.

I take his comments for what they are, his honest opinions on his horses.

For example for the past few years what's he supposed to say about Kauto Star? You know he has wanted to say, "look he's the best horse in training and by a distance, he should win every race he runs in but horses are not machines, he will lose some races" He'd be called arrogant for that.

It's hard for trainers to comment on their horses and come out smelling like roses in the punters view.

I agree with you. That's why I was careful in the way I worded what I said. He kinda comes across as a tipster at times which isn't a good thing IMO. Just sticking to the horses well being etc would be enough for me.

Yes just explaining their well being and how they are working. What they are like fitness wise would be great.

his posts are very helpfull imo. nicholls is not going to spend hours working out a handicap with his horse in it to see how good his chances are but he informs of the wellbeing of the horse and the possibility of one needing the run at times. he says when one has a wind op and he often explains when one has been gelded and french form in relation to other imports. its a very helpful column i think but if hes not a fooking tipping line with a 100% record then hes not going to please some.

I enjoy Nicholls column, if people want him to give us winners then they are dont get it at all.

Its nice for a trainer to give so much information and time to the public.

The problem with nicholls is that 99% of his horses are trying.

If your two posts above were aimed at me then you clearly haven't read what I actually posted properly.

If not then please ignore the above[;)].

aimed at nobody cd.

just chatting.

mine was just my assessment of his column, not directed at you

Didn't think it was lads, a few beers and a good days punting and I was getting a bit "u looking at my bird?".

BTW I haven't had a fight since I was 12 and I lost that so I'm not normally the "u looking at my bird" type!!!

im the same. if sum guy walks into me in a night club im more of a "alright lad, no bother" kind of chap than a "watch where yer fookin walkin ya prick"

Nicholls isn't everyones cup of tea, he can come over as a bit arrogant which puts people off. I like the fact he's very open and tries to help out punters with info, you make of it what you will. I do tend to take his immediate post race comments with a pinch of salt, especially if his horse has just lost.

We need more like him, just think if they were all like Murphy or O'Neil...

i was only highlighting it think he is a top man really but a strange post all the same. When I met Nicholl sat a Cheltenham day last year. He said alook out for 1833 nice horse - didnt take the 42s available on here at xmas

When i saw it on twitter I agreed with the original post. Nicholls was unable to congratulate another trainer on a superb achievement without mentioning that he was better. Obviously an excellent trainer but much too arrogant for my liking. Nothing wrong with his betfair column tho. Tries to be as helpful as possible even if he isn't the greatest judge.

We are not disagreeing with you howdi, the problem with written text it can interpreted a thousand different ways.

I much prefer Nichols and like a previous poster I think Henderson has a contempt for the punter and would deliberately put them away (in fact I have seen him do it).

The new bred of more 'open' trainers, Pipe, Vaughan and Elliott come across as much more likely and personable although they still have their little touches as well.

The Nichols juvenile winner yesterday was a strange one though, if it really was struggling to get over a snip op and really was one for next year, why was it running in a grade 2 race (and perhaps the hottest 4yo hurdle this side of the irish sea).  Any sort of decent run would have seen it hammered for future handicaps, so my only calculation is that it was there to win.

All trainers are like Murphy and O'Neil !! They are all the same. Some do it blantantly and some try to be discreet and pretend to be your friend but underneath is still a wolf in sheep's clothing. I realise Nicholls has a big fan club due to his column on here so I am in a big inority by being prepared to slate him. I don't even read his drivel cos I know he won't put any real info on there and depreive his stable lads of the opportunity of a punt.

Nicholls is a sore loser who sees his trainer's title in doubt. He doesn't like that and is still seething that Long Run thumped Kauto Star and robbed him of the fame it would have given him. He craves attention hence all his columns in which any decent info for a punter is left out. He's also hansomely paid for the columns I'd imagine. He is certainly no punters pal in fact he omits the info people would be most intrested in.

You're all going to say oh I just don't like Nicholls well I've backed Ghizao and Woolcombe Folly and hope both can show further improvement and win at the festival but ever since last year's Gold Cup and especially after the King George I've felt a lot of sour grapes from Nicholls as his two superstars regress and the pack close in on them.

It seems to rankle him that his owners didn't get Long Run and to be put in his place by Long Run ridden by an amatuer must really stick in his throat.

I'm no real Henderson fan after his Binocular stunt either by the way. Trainers are all the same. None of them are here for the punter so don't kid yourself they are trying to help they will all put you away in a heartbeat.

Open trainers is a serious myth. Nicholls Pipe Elliot and Henderson all have horses under the radar that they miss out just by chance and then they win. Anybody who tells me trainers tell all is just plain deluded.

Totally agree^

Spot on Huss.

i agree, nicholls is helpful......that was a strange message to henderson though, because even though he could do the nudge nudge wink wink to his face, showing it was a joke....the fact that he said it....joke or not....actually shows that they are his true thoughts on the matter!!

Trainer's first (and some might say only!) responsibility is to their owners. Why should they care what punters think?

The columns by leading trainers is great PR but of little value to us.

nicholls feeling pi55ed off that the pack are closing is natural imo, if from time to time he comes across as such is no problem to me....it happens in all sports or walks of life i suppose with people who are used to winning....i can't remember the last time fergie came out all smiles when someone questioned one of his players.....anyway i really don't think you'd get the "binocular" affair with the likes of nicholls.....and i can't think of any "dark ones" that are being readied for a big festival smash and grab.....i may be wrong though!!

Henderson is at it. I recall him saying Oscar Whiskey would come on a lot for the run and all that tosh. Before you know it the horse was backed off the boards and hosed up. He sells people up the river. Any punter who stuck up for him during his ban is short changed.

Sanctuaire last year suddenly found form after continual heavy backing for Fred Winter and nobody knew. Aye right the Nicholls yard knew Sanctuaire was good just mysteriously got so well handicapped that he won pulling two carts and a donkey behind him. Funny that !

American Trilogy in the County the year before even though 20's was backed quietly all day.

I doubt the yard had a penny on either of them though.

Every yard in the country has a few plotted up they can't all win but from Henderson and Nicholls to Murphy and O'Neil they are not in the public domain and they won't be touting them at preview nights.

If you read the preview night reports from every year and then compare the comments it's very obvious that they only went to get paid, talk about common stuff and do their level best to omit the real plots.

Nicholls cant win with some people.

There was a very embarrassing interview with Henderson a couple of years ago on RUK, I will see if I can find the clip.  Basically he was interviewed pre-race about an unraced novice (it was early season).  He said all sorts of stuff, slow coming to hand, one for the future, etc.  The interview then threw in the fact that Henderson himself had put this horse as his one to follow the month before in the Horse and Hound magazine.  MR H was totally thrown and started spluttering, about the fact that well he obviously wouldnt give his best one to the press.  "What not?", asked the interviewer.  It ended there.
Revealing his true colours

I'm saying they know and they don't go shouting it. They are all the same and for people to come on here portraying Nicholls as a saint which he's not and a punters pal which he is also not though he wants people to think it is just plain wrong.

I'm saying ALL trainers are the same and Nicholls is no different to the others.

Not sure anyone is potraing Nicholls as a saint, but I couldn't disagree more about "ALL trainers are the same". For example, we know pretty much where Nicholls horses are being aimed at the festival, you couldn't say the same for Oneil, or Mullins.

Whats the story wih GMOOH? Which race for MDH? I feel certain that if Nicholls trained these two we would know more than we do.

I think Nicholls humour and attempt of a joke didn't come through in that tweet for some. What is left out from the first post about this was that the tweet had a link to an article in which Nicholls fully congratulates him and the joke comes out clearer.

As far as I know both trainers are friends and if Henderson knew what Twitter was he'd probably retort with some slagging. Storm in a tea cup IMO.

Here is the article: http://bit.ly/dFJwjM

Agree Leinster. Nicholls is aggresivelt ambitious, not a bad thing, and this was no more than a bit of fun.

and as for american trilogy....wasn't exactly a big gamble was it....still went off at 20's.....backed "quietly" is the word there....after being dropped a mere 4lbs that season.

It is funny because sometimes the ones who seem the most open can be the ones who really put you away. That is their angle and they all have them. Nobody would trust certain trainers an inch and treat whatever they say with a pinch of salt. Some trainers who can sometimes be more helpful can really do you up like a kipper when they want to.

Ergo, make your own mind up and then you know who to blame.

As we all know, horses can make fools of all of us, including jockeys and trainers. None of the trainers that I have had horses with backed their horses (or if they did it was very seldom) and the best one among them thought that betting was plain daft and wished that racing could flourish without it. The only helpful advice I ever got from trainers was which horses were useless and they are not always right about that either.

I used to think Nicholls was very open and honest. Last 12 months or so I think he has actually been quite contradictory a lot fo the time, mainly because he gets defensive when his horses are beaten.

The Zarkander issue at the weekend was an example imo. He said he did not want to run him in a small field Noivce race .. why ? because he knw just how good he was!