Paul Nicholls has been Champion National Hunt Trainer in Britain on fourteen occasions and has fifty Cheltenham Festival winners to his name. He was leading trainer at the Cheltenham Festival five times in a six-year period from 2004 to 2009 and has won four Cheltenham Gold Cups and one Champion Hurdle.
Kauto Star (2007, 2009) became the first horse in history to reclaim the Gold Cup crown after being defeated by stable companion Denman in 2008. Nicholls also won the Cheltenham showpiece with See More Business (1999) and the Champion Hurdle with Rock On Ruby (2012). He also trained Big Buck’s to win the Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle for four consecutive seasons between 2009 and 2012. Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Master Minded (2008, 2009) and Ryanair Chase winner Frodon (2019) were also among the best Paul Nicholls horses at Cheltenham.
Victories at the festival meeting have been harder to come by in recent seasons with the Ditcheat yard drawing a blank in 2021 and 2022. He is also well behind Dan Skelton in the Champion Trainer title standing this year. Despite this, only Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson have trained more Festival winners so Nicholls Cheltenham entries are always worthy of close scrutiny.
Paul Nicholls Cheltenham chances this year are led by the impressive novice hurdler No Drama This End in the Turners Novices Hurdle. He also has the highly progressive Tutti Quanti as a possible runner in the Champion Hurdle and handicapper Absolutely Doyen is chasing a six-timer in the Pertemps Hurdle. Regent’s Stroll completes our quartet of Paul Nicholls Cheltenham Festival runners with good place prospects.
Paul Nicholls Turners Hurdle hopes rest with No Drama This End
The Turners Novices Hurdle is the opening race on day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival over two miles and five furlongs. It has been run under various titles over the years and boasts an impressive roll of honour which includes subsequent Champion Hurdle winners Istabraq (1997), Hardy Eustace (2003) and Faugheen (2014).
Paul Nicholls Turners Hurdle victory long overdue
Paul Nicholls trained runner-up Denman in this race in 2006 who came into the contest with a similar profile to No Drama This End. The Turners Hurdle has continued to evade Nicholls but he has high hopes for the grey son of Walk In The Park.
No Drama This End was sufficiently highly rated last season to be allowed to take his chance in the Champion Bumper, eventually finishing a respectable ninth. He made his hurdling debut at Cheltenham in November with an impressive success and followed up in similar style at Sandown. He then won the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury to cement his position among the market leaders for the festival.
Willie Mullins threat to Paul Nicholls Turners Hurdle chances
Willie Mullins has trained the winner of this race on a record seven occasions including three of the last four renewals. He could hold the key again this year with a typically strong entry including the unbeaten Mighty Park and Doctor Steinberg. Both have alternative entries in the Supreme Hurdle and Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle respectively.
Gordon Elliott has won this race twice with the heavily supported Samcro (2018) and Envoi Allen (2020). He has another leading candidate in Skylight Hussle, a five lengths winner of the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in December. He also holds a Supreme Hurdle entry so racing fans should check the latest Cheltenham betting offers to keep up-to-date with the latest betting as trainers confirm their festival plans.
Tutti Quanti gives Paul Nicholls Champion Hurdle each-way chance
The Champion Hurdle is one of the most prized races of the festival meeting and the highlight of the opening day. Paul Nicholls enjoyed Champion Hurdle success with Rock On Ruby in 2012 and believes he has a genuine contender this year with Tutti Quanti.
Paul Nicholls Champion Hurdle outsider could outrun his odds
The Champion Hurdle would not have been in the minds of connections of Tutti Quanti after their horse was well beaten in a Chepstow Handicap in October. However, the gelding has found phenomenal improvement to win two valuable Newbury handicaps.
His three lengths win in the Gerry Feilden Hurdle in November led to an 8lbs rise in the weights for the competitive William Hill Hurdle last month. Tutti Quanti revelled in the heavy ground and made all the running to win by 15 lengths. The style of his victory left connections contemplating a supplementary entry for the Champion Hurdle. Paul Nicholls has drawn comparisons with Make A Stand who won the valuable handicap in similar fashion before landing the Champion Hurdle in 1997.
Soft ground would boost Paul Nicholls Champion Hurdle hopes
The Champion Hurdle looks wide open this year after a series of high profile defections. 2024 winner State Man would have successfully defended his title but for a last flight fall. He has been side-lined with injury this season. Nicky Henderson twice had the ante-post favourite but both Sir Gino and Constitution Hill have now been ruled out.
Dan Skelton’s The New Lion is the new market leader ahead of the Irish-trained duo, Lossiemouth and Brighterdaysahead. All have suffered reverses in the past and Tutti Quanti could take some catching, particularly if the ground comes up soft. He showed at Newbury that heavy ground holds no fears for him.
Regent’s Stroll bids for Paul Nicholls Golden Miller Novices Chase glory
The Golden Miller Novices’ Chase, run this year as the Jack Richards Novices’ Chase, is a limited handicap over two and a half miles. The race was first run in 2011 and Nicholls has won two of the last three renewals. He was successful with Stage Star in 2023 and again when Caldwell Potter provided him with a landmark 50th Cheltenham Festival winner last year. Paul Nicholls Cheltenham entries for this race are Regent’s Stroll and Quebecois with preference for the former.
Paul Nicholls Golden Miller Novices Chase entry in great form
Regent’s Stroll was useful over hurdles, ending last season with a fine second in a Grade 1 at Aintree. He has raced three times over the larger obstacles this season, winning at Wincanton between placed efforts at Newbury at Cheltenham. Nicholls has been delighted with how the horse has matured this season and believes he has him in better form than when runner-up to Miami Magic last time.
De Bromhead runner among Paul Nicholls Golden Miller Novices Chase rivals
Market rivals here include Henry De Bromhead’s Koktail Divin, runner-up in the Grade 2 Florida Pearl Chase and a winner at Leopardstown last time out. Jacob’s Ladder and McLaurey, first and third at Fairyhouse in December, are other Irish trained runners with strong claims in a wide open contest. They represent the yards of Gordon Elliott and Emmet Mullins respectively. Paul Nicholls believes that Regent’s Stroll compares favourably with last year’s winner at this stage of his career and is hopeful of a big run.
Absolutely Doyen chasing six-timer for Paul Nicholls in Pertemps Hurdle
The Pertemps Hurdle Final is one of the most competitive handicaps of the week at the Cheltenham Festival. It is over three miles and was famously won for three successive seasons by Willie Wumpkins (1979 – 1981). More recently, Buena Vista (2010, 2011) and Sire Du Berlais (2019, 2020) claimed back-to-back victories. It is worth noting that the average price of the last ten Pertemps winners was around 16-1 while three of the last four started at odds of 25-1.
Absolutely Doyen bids to provide Nicholls with second Pertemps Hurdle success
Paul Nicholls trained Monmiral to win this race in 2024 and his leading hope this season is Absolutely Doyen. The gelding joined Nicholls from Fergal O’Brien in October after several placed efforts. After a couple of minor victories in novice races, Absolutely Doyen won handicaps at Ascot and Wincanton. He then rounded off a five-timer at Musselburgh but still gets in here with a good racing weight.
Paul Nicholls Pertemps Hurdle entry among strong British defence
British trained runners have won three of the last four renewals of the Pertemps. Dan Skelton has the ante-post favourite for this race in Supremely West and Sam Thomas trains second favourite C’Est Different. Chris Gordon’s Electric Mason is also prominent in the Cheltenham betting following a game success in a valuable race at Haydock. Bookmakers will be offering enhanced place terms on this race and Absolutely Doyen holds has each-way claims.
Paul Nicholls optimistic ahead of Cheltenham Festival
Paul Nicholls believes that the British runners are in good shape for the clash with the Irish-trained horses at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. The Prestbury Cup between Britain and Ireland has not been won by the home team since 2015. Nicholls has several chances of his own while Nicky Henderson, Dan Skelton and Ben Pauling all have leading contenders.
All four Paul Nicholls Cheltenham runners we have highlighted here go to the Festival with solid each-way chances. Please note that trainers often make multiple Cheltenham entries before finalising their plans. Check back regularly for updates as the final Cheltenham declarations are confirmed.
Next, read everything you need to know about Cheltenham Festival 2026 dates, dress code and race times.
