Paul Nicholls: fond memories of Sandown and title battle

Throughout its 150-year history thrilling finishes have been commonplace at Sandown Park, but few can match the conclusion of the 2015-16 Jump Trainers’ Championship.

With calculators at the ready every single pound counted as Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins went head-to-head in what was to be an epic finish to that season’s title race.

On one hand there was Nicholls, seeking a 10th title, and on the other was Mullins, who was bidding to become the first Irish trainer since Vincent O’Brien in 1954 to win the crown.

While Nicholls headed into the day with the advantage, Mullins arrived at the Esher venue with an enviable looking team headed by the mighty Un De Sceaux.

However, despite the ball being very much in his court Nicholls admits he still had to make sure no stone was left unturned.

Nicholls said: “Winning the title that season was a big one as it was all down to the last day.

“A lot of the time, when I had those really good horses, it was pretty much won by March and no one is then interested in it. This battle made it interesting from the public’s point of view.

“I had battles with Martin Pipe over the years when I was second to him six times and I was determined to fend it off.

“After Aintree I thought we had no chance and then we had an amazing time up at Ayr and it went very well at Sandown.

“Going into the meeting I was in the lead, and I thought we had a fair chance of preserving that lead if everything went right.

“I wasn’t totally confident though as Willie came over with all his battalions and we had to do meticulous planning to make sure we had the right ammunition to go there.”

Although neither trainer hit the back of the net in the opening three races on the card three successive second place finishes for Mullins saw him eat into the gap to pile on the pressure on Nicholls heading into the feature race of the day - the bet365 Gold Cup.

And like those races that went beforehand neither trainer could muster up the winner, but crucially for Nicholls he saw Just A Par, under a young Harry Cobden, clinch second, and Southfield Theatre and Sam Twiston-Davies take fourth to get him over the line.

He added: “When Willie did close the lead on the last day everyone was on tenterhooks a bit, but it made good for everyone that liked the sport. I was under a bit of pressure, but I thrive on pressure. 

“Although we didn’t win the bet365 Gold Cup with Just A Par coming second, and Southfield Theatre coming fourth it meant we had enough prize money to get over the line and make us impossible to beat.

“No one was sure if we had won the title after the race though and it was only while I was coming back up in the chute that Nick Luck came up to me and said we have just added it up and you have done it. Being told that was a fantastic feeling.”

With the title safely in the bag Nicholls ended up saddling a one-two in the very next race, the Grade Two bet365 Select Hurdle, through Ptit Zig and Silsol, to cap off what was a truly momentous occasion for everyone involved at Manor Farm Stables.

Nicholls added: “We went on to have a one-two in the Select Hurdle after winning the title which was a great way to end the day.

“To win any trainers’ championship is brilliant, and to have said I’ve done it fourteen times is great, but that one really did give us a lot of pleasure.

“I think it is a brilliant place to have the final day of the season at Sandown Park, especially when the different championships go down to the last day.

“However, when you do come out on top of a battle like that it gives you an enormous amount of pleasure.”

And it is not only the final day of the season that has given Nicholls plenty of fond memories at Sandown Park over the years with the Ditcheat handler having saddled the winner of the Grade One Tingle Creek Chase a record 12 times.

Among that roll of honour is some of the finest horses he has trained including Flagship Uberalles, Master Minded, Politologue and Twist Magic.

Nicholls said: “The Tingle Creek is one of my favourite races outside of the Cheltenham Festival and it has been a fantastic race for me.

“I’ve won it with some amazing horses, and it is one of Sandown Park’s finest races.

“When you have the best two-mile chasers going around there at speed it is brilliant.

“Flagship Uberalles was the first, but we’ve since won it with the likes of Master Minded, Twist Magic and Politologue, who gave John Hales a great day.

“Our last win in the race back in 2021 with Greaneteen was a good one as it was a race that his owner Chris Giles said he always wanted to win.”

However, for Nicholls the success that really stands out is the one gained by the legendary Kauto Star during the second of his two wins in the race in 2006, in a season that would also see him win the Betfair Chase, King George VI Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup.

He added: “The year Kauto Star was at his best when he started the season winning the Old Roan and then the Betfair Chase which switched him back to win the Tingle Creek before he went on to win the King George and Gold Cup. Not many horses go and do that.

“There was a fair bit of pressure on me that day as I remember Clive (Smith, owner) rang me on the Monday when it was the day of the entries of the Tingle Creek and he said what do you think about Saturday.

“We had just won the Betfair Chase and I said to Clive it is a bit too soon as I think we will win the King George, but I’ll ring Ruby, however I don’t think Ruby will be keen to go back down to two miles as he has just got him settled over three miles.

“I rang Ruby and he said don’t be stupid as it has taken two runs for me to settle him so I don’t think it would be a good idea.

“He puts the phone down and then two minutes later he rang me back up saying he has seen the entries, and he said screw it we might be all dead next week so we declared him.

“I did feel a fair bit of pressure that day, but of course he won, and won very nicely and had that great season.

“Although we are unlikely to have anything for the race this season, hopefully we will have something for it in the future as it is a great race to win.”