New Year Honours for the Champions, as Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls are honoured with OBE's

Mon 30 Dec 2019

Amazing news this week, that NICKY HENDERSON and PAUL NICHOLLS have both been awarded OBE's in the New Year Honours list.

Read the Racing Post story here: https://www.racingpost.com/news/latest/nicholls-and-henderson-have-reason-to-smile-after-each-is-made-an-obe/415430

NICKY HENDERSON: It was at the 2013 Tattersalls Ireland ‘Derby sale’ when we embarked on our National Hunt Racing adventure with Nicky Henderson. It was here that Tom Palin, our National Hunt manager, acquired our first two store horses; in Premier Bond and Towering. We sent out our first runner from the famous Seven Barrows in 2014, when the 5yo mare Quiet Candid won twice in our silks, having been purchased privately from Ireland that year.

Towering went on to win three times, including at Cheltenham (not bad for his price tag of €22k) and Premier Bond won four times in all three disciplines; Bumper, Hurdles and Steeple-chasing, which is of course what he was bought for. He also placed a super 3rd in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival, which was such an emotional moment for Tom and ‘Premier’s’ owners. The following year we bought Divine Spear from the same sale and he has gone on to win five times for his syndicate.

Since then we have had 26 winners from the famous Seven Barrows stable! Our partnership finished 2019, with an impressive 8 length Listed win from Marie's Rock at Taunton today, so there's plenty to look forward to in 2020, as she is looking a live contender for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the The Cheltenham Festival!

Our private owner stable visits here are always looked forward to and if you would like to join in the adventure, our newest recruit is a 3 year old son of Presenting. You can see his full details and share prices here: PRESENTING GELDING SHARES.

PAUL NICHOLLS: We were delighted to have our first runners with the Champion Trainer this year and what a great start it has been: With shrewd purchases from France and Ireland, Oleg has already won twice and Get The Appeal won on her MPR debut! We added the exciting Red Risk recently and he is awaiting his debut having been bought from France, as it our latest purchase from the Arqana Autumn sale in France, a son of the mighty Network, the sire of Sprinter Sacre - Glajou is from the same source as Apples Jade, Apples Shakira, Delta Work, Grand Crus and Al Boum Photo no less!

Since arriving in the Champion trainers yard, he has done nothing but impress and please Paul and his team, so much so in fact that Paul sent us a text reading: “Glajou, a lovely, lovely horse.” Paul doesn’t usually send texts like this out of the blue, so we rang him to dig a little deeper, whilst he hasn’t worked him yet he has schooled him and he was most impressed with what he saw. “He’s a different class to anything else you’ve sent so far.” Considering we have a hugely talented winning string at Paul’s, this is very high praise indeed! See his full details and share prices here: GLAJOU SHARES.

Many congratulations to Paul and Nicky on their awards. An incredible achievement that reflects the hard work both yards have put in, to be at the top of the racing game for so many years.

If you would like to know more about our National Hunt string or have any questions, please email Tom Palin - tom@middlehamparkracing.net