Frugal Nicholls revelling in dual point-to-point capacity

“I’M absolutely delighted, it’s a dream come true really,” says Andy Nicholls, reflecting on his first point-to-point season, in which he ran a syndicate as well as trained the horses.

Nicholls operates on a shoe-string budget and reckons his is one of the few true amateur yards left in point-to-pointing.

His aim for this season was to get 10 people in the syndicate and allow them to get involved as much as possible with the horses.

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“We got eight people in the syndicate and I couldn’t be any more pleased,” said Andy who has produced three winners for them so far.

The first of these was at Whitcliffe Grange in March with Bring It On, ridden by regular work jockey Will Milburn, who won by the length of the run in.

Iznt Getting Court, ridden by Sam Drake, won the Maiden race by a similar distance at the Zetland Hunt meeting at Witton Castle.

The most recent winner was Adin Abroad in the Restricted race at the Bilsdale meeting, ridden by Emma Todd who is Will Milburn’s girlfriend.

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“When we had two winners in one week it was very good news for our local, the Jolly Farmers at Levening, where we’ve been doing a lot of celebrating,” said Andy, who is based at Scrayingham near Stamford Bridge.

The past year hasn’t been without its dramas, however. Last summer they nearly lost Bring It On when he was turned out in a field and went down to the river for a drink.

The alarm was raised by a passer-by who spotted the horse with only his head above water.

The rescue operation involved the fire brigade, a vet, a local farmer and jockey Will Milburn who later went on to ride the horse to victory.

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“I didn’t think he was going to make it when they were pulling him out,” said Andy. But after a couple of weeks rest and care from the vet, the horse didn’t seem to be showing any ill effects and was soon back racing again.

Life is busy for Andy who fits in training alongside the running of a marquee hire business, but the winners make all the hard work worthwhile.

“I’m absolutely ecstatic about winning,” said Andy. “As well as the winners we’ve had a number of placed horses and it’s been a joy to watch the progress of the young horses, given that most of the yard consisted of maidens at the start of the season. It puts us in a good position for next year and I hope we’ll have a lot of fun.”

For information go to www.pasturefarmracing.co.uk.

The South Durham hunt point-to-point, due to take place today at Howe Hills, has been cancelled due to waterlogging, and re-scheduled for Sunday, May 27.

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