Exclusive: Destiny Calling for Paul Nicholls as Somerset Handler Targets Paddy Power Gold Cup

Multiple Champion NH Trainer Paul Nicholls may have made a subdued start to the new campaign, but hopes are high in Somerset that the season is about to take off for a stable which have dominated UK jump racing for two decades.

Paul Nicholls will launch a two-pronged attack on Saturday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase at Cheltenham as he bids to kick-start a campaign which is yet to truly ignite.  

Ante-post favourite Ginny’s Destiny and Prestbury Park regular Il Ridoto will represent the 14-times champion trainer in the weekend’s showpiece chase as the Somerset trainer bids to repeat last year’s success with Stage Star.

Nicholls has undergone an uncharacteristically quiet start to the new National Hunt campaign with many of his runners appearing to look in need of their first run of the season.

However, a dip in his usually healthy strike rate has not unduly concerned the 62-year-old who has all but ruled himself out of challenging for a title race as he concentrates on nurturing a team of exciting new equine talent.

“We’ve just made a bit of a slow start to the season but in a lot of ways that’s fine as I’m not chasing a championship as we have no chance of winning a title this year unless something changes rapidly in the near future,” Nicholls told SportsBoom.com.

“We have a lot of young horses and a big team for the future which will need some patience. You never say never, but we have to be realistic – Dan (Skelton) seems to have a huge number of horses, and he will be difficult to beat.”

“I haven’t run many of the really good horses yet, they are all waiting in the wings, and we have a lot of nice young horses to run; Caldwell Potter, Captain Teague, Kalif Du Berlais are all ready to go chasing and the likes of Regent’s Stroll, who will be running at Newbury in a couple of weeks, and recent Chepstow winner Quebecois, I haven’t even scratched the surface with yet.”

“They are probably horses for the future, not now, and we are rebuilding the team. We have had some amazing horses over the years with Silviniaco Conti coming hard on the heels of Kauto Star and then the likes of Clan Royale etc winning big races.”

“I love bringing the young horses through. I’ve learned to be patient rather than rushing horses too much. If you get going in October with loads of winners, you will often find those horses don’t get through to the end of the season.”

The progressive Ginny’s Destiny is one such example of how Nicholls can dramatically improve a horse.

Beaten 29 lengths on his first start for the stable after joining Ditcheat from Tom Lacey, the son of Yeats then reeled off three Cheltenham victories before posting a career best when runner-up to Gold Cup aspirant Grey Dawning in the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival in March.

The eight-year-old wound up a terrific campaign with another silver medal at Aintree behind Il Etait Temps in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase and his handler believes there is further improvement to come.

Nicholls added: “The biggest thing last year was that he really needed the run first time as he came to us quite fat.”

“We’ve done a lot with him – so much so that we’ve been able to back off him a fraction this week. He went for an away day with Bravemansgame so I’d say he’s fairly straight without a run.”