Nic off the old block training CarEEr for niCholls Jnr

HE’S not the first son of a famous father to set out on a training career.

But Adrian Nicholls knows that the legendary achievements of his father ‘Dandy’ count for nothing now.

The racing community reeled in shock in June at the death of Nicholls Snr at the age of 61.

A journeyman jockey, he became known as the Sprint King when turning his hand to training from the Tall Trees stables near Thirsk in 1992.

Winners of the Group 1 July Cup, Nunthorpe Stakes, Prix de l’Abbaye and Haydock Sprint Cup were sent out from Tall Trees, which also landed the Ayr Gold Cup and Stewards’ Cup, two marquee sprint handicaps, six times.

But Nicholls Snr cited financial problems when leaving the trainers’ ranks in March. “I haven’t got 30 or 40 big owners,” said Nicholls Jnr, who can see his father’s place from his new base, The Ranch, just outside Thirsk.

“My old man started out from nothing when he retired from riding, and we’ve taken similar paths.

“I rode for 19 years and had a lot of success, mostly for my dad, but towards the end I was afraid I would miss seeing my kids grow up, so something had to give.”

The 36-year-old, whose first runner, Sir Lancelott ran a pleasing fourth at Wolverhampton on Friday, said: “I’ve been thinking about training for the past four or five years.

“My wife Clare was apprenticed to my old man, like I was, and we both learned a lot from him.”

So no old school tie – but an education money can’t buy. As stable jockey to his father – he partnered yard favourite Regal Parade to victory in the Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup in 2009 and the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville the following year – Nicholls was best-placed to learn the master’s methods.

If the sheikhs from the Middle East do their shopping in the thoroughbred equal of Harrods, Nicholls Snr was a regular in Poundland, relying on his knack of reviving the fortunes of horses whose loss of form pushed them to within his budget.

Nicholls Jnr (left holding the Ayr Gold Cup with his dad) said: “I’m not going to take over the world but if I could train half the winners he did, I think he’d be very proud.”