Trainer David “Dandy” Nicholls, known as the Sprint King for his handling of a number of top-class sprinters, has retired from training at the age of 60, citing financial reasons.
Nicholls, a former jockey and winner of over 400 races in the saddle, also excelled in the sprint ranks in that first career, winning such Group 1s as the Nunthorpe S., July Cup, Prix de l'Abbaye and Haydock Sprint Cup.
Nicholls took out his training license in 1992 and sent out Group 1-winning sprinters Continent (GB) (Lake Coniston {Ire}), Bahamian Pirate (Housebuster), Regal Parade (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Ya Malak (GB) (Fairy King) from his Tall Trees Stables near Thirsk, North Yorkshire. Nicholls and his wife Alex Greaves created history with Ya Malak in 1997 when Greaves rode the horse to a dead-heat win in the G1 Nunthorpe S., becoming the first female rider to win a Group 1 in Britain.
Nicholls, who has enjoyed less good fortune as of late, went out a winner, his last runner being Sovereign Debt (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who won the $200,000 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup at Qatar's Emir's Sword Festival on Feb. 24.
Nicholls cited financial reasons as being behind the decision to shut down his stable, Tweeting: “Sovereign Debt was our last runner from Tall Trees, as due to financial problems we have had to cease training. It was nice to go out on a high during what has been a difficult time and I'd like to thank all our owners that have supported us.”
Nicholls faces trial in the summer on two charges of sexual assault, which he strenuously denies.
Nicholls's son and former stable jockey, Adrian Nicholls, said, “It's sad it has to end like this and if it wasn't for him my career would have been very different. Dad didn't go looking for sprinters, but after he'd had success with them a lot of people started sending them to us, a bit like Robert Cowell now. One horse who'd sum him up was Funfair Wane. He was a nutcase yet he managed to win two Ayr Gold Cups. He wasn't an easy horse to train and it was probably why they got on so well.”
“To train a one-two in the July Cup, though, like when Continent beat Bahamian Pirate in 2002, takes an awful lot of doing,” the younger Nicholls added. “He was simply a genius. He wasn't only my dad but a great boss, too. It was a nice way for him to finish the other day with Sovereign Debt winning in Qatar. We shouldn't have been surprised, he's been a winner all his life.”
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