David Nicholson
1939 - 2006
1939 - 2006
David Nicholson was born in Epsom on 19 March 1939, though his family moved from Epsom to Prestbury, on the edge of Cheltenham, soon after war broke out later that year.
David Nicholson was born in Epsom on 19 March 1939, though his family moved from Epsom to Prestbury, on the edge of Cheltenham, soon after war broke out later that year.
David’s father, ‘Frenchie’ Nicholson (1913-1984), was a leading National Hunt jockey whose major victories included the 1936 Champion Hurdle on Victor Norman and the 1942 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Medoc II. In 1946 he began training horses as well as riding them. David duly became apprenticed to him in 1951, aged 12.
David’s father, ‘Frenchie’ Nicholson (1913-1984), was a leading National Hunt jockey whose major victories included the 1936 Champion Hurdle on Victor Norman and the 1942 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Medoc II. In 1946 he began training horses as well as riding them. David duly became apprenticed to him in 1951, aged 12.
He had his first ride in public on Fairval, trained by his father, in the Brandon Apprentice Plate at Newmarket on April 18, 1951, finishing eighth of the 24 runners.
He had his first ride in public on Fairval, trained by his father, in the Brandon Apprentice Plate at Newmarket on April 18, 1951, finishing eighth of the 24 runners.
He had to wait four years before riding his first winner. It came on Fairval on his first ride over hurdles in the Selling Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow on Easter Monday, April 11, 1955. Following a sustained duel with the favourite Nordest, ridden by ace hurdles jockey René Emery, they held on to win by a head.
He had to wait four years before riding his first winner. It came on Fairval on his first ride over hurdles in the Selling Handicap Hurdle at Chepstow on Easter Monday, April 11, 1955. Following a sustained duel with the favourite Nordest, ridden by ace hurdles jockey René Emery, they held on to win by a head.
This was the first of 583 winners which David would accumulate over jumps. He also rode one winner on the Flat, that being Desertcar, trained by Les Maund, in the Ingestre Handicap at a Wolverhampton evening meeting on June 27, 1955. It was a pretty humdrum race but at least David could lay claim to have beaten Lester Piggott into second place that day.
This was the first of 583 winners which David would accumulate over jumps. He also rode one winner on the Flat, that being Desertcar, trained by Les Maund, in the Ingestre Handicap at a Wolverhampton evening meeting on June 27, 1955. It was a pretty humdrum race but at least David could lay claim to have beaten Lester Piggott into second place that day.
Some notable wins included three successive Welsh Grand Nationals on Limonali (1959), Clover Bud (1960) and Limonali again (1961), the 1960 Imperial Cup on Farmer’s Boy, the 1965 Schweppes Hurdle on Elan, and a brilliant win on Mill House in the 1967 Whitbread Gold Cup.
Some notable wins included three successive Welsh Grand Nationals on Limonali (1959), Clover Bud (1960) and Limonali again (1961), the 1960 Imperial Cup on Farmer’s Boy, the 1965 Schweppes Hurdle on Elan, and a brilliant win on Mill House in the 1967 Whitbread Gold Cup.
Numerically his most successful season was 1966-67 in which he rode 63 winners from 421 mounts. They included a four-timer at Haydock on February 1, 1967 on Vilone in the Stewards Selling Hurdle, Bassnet in the Haydock Park National Trial, Coronado in the Dean Dam Juvenile Hurdle, and Black Justice in the Beeches Farm Handicap Hurdle.
Numerically his most successful season was 1966-67 in which he rode 63 winners from 421 mounts. They included a four-timer at Haydock on February 1, 1967 on Vilone in the Stewards Selling Hurdle, Bassnet in the Haydock Park National Trial, Coronado in the Dean Dam Juvenile Hurdle, and Black Justice in the Beeches Farm Handicap Hurdle.
He also topped the 50-winner mark in 1960-61 (57 wins), 1964-65 (58 wins) and 1965-66 (53 wins).
He also topped the 50-winner mark in 1960-61 (57 wins), 1964-65 (58 wins) and 1965-66 (53 wins).
Tall for a jockey at 6ft 1ins, David retired on a winning note after riding What A Buck to victory in the Kingstone Handicap Chase at Hereford on April 3, 1974. In addition to his 583 winners over jumps and one on the Flat, he also rode two winners in France, plus one each in Norway and Sweden.
Tall for a jockey at 6ft 1ins, David retired on a winning note after riding What A Buck to victory in the Kingstone Handicap Chase at Hereford on April 3, 1974. In addition to his 583 winners over jumps and one on the Flat, he also rode two winners in France, plus one each in Norway and Sweden.
He took part in 13 Grand Nationals. When he rode in it for the first time, on Irish Lizard in 1957, it was just his fifth ride over fences. It was not his lucky race, the nearest he came to being placed was when finishing fifth on Vultrix in 1965.
He took part in 13 Grand Nationals. When he rode in it for the first time, on Irish Lizard in 1957, it was just his fifth ride over fences. It was not his lucky race, the nearest he came to being placed was when finishing fifth on Vultrix in 1965.
Strangely, Cheltenham was never a happy hunting ground for him: as a jockey he rode just four winners at the track and, as a trainer, he had to wait a staggering 18 years before saddling his first Festival winner there – Solar Cloud in 1986 Triumph Hurdle.
Strangely, Cheltenham was never a happy hunting ground for him: as a jockey he rode just four winners at the track and, as a trainer, he had to wait a staggering 18 years before saddling his first Festival winner there – Solar Cloud in 1986 Triumph Hurdle.
David’s first success as a trainer was Arctic Coral who easily won a juvenile hurdle at Warwick in January 1969 (he began training while he was still riding). Other good horses sent out from his yard included Very Promising, Waterloo Boy, What A Buck and Barton Bank, while Charter Party gave him his greatest success when winning the 1988 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
David’s first success as a trainer was Arctic Coral who easily won a juvenile hurdle at Warwick in January 1969 (he began training while he was still riding). Other good horses sent out from his yard included Very Promising, Waterloo Boy, What A Buck and Barton Bank, while Charter Party gave him his greatest success when winning the 1988 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Viking Flagship, a winner of 24 races for the stable, and Mysilv (Triumph Hurdle) both recorded wins at Cheltenham. David also won two Scottish Grand Nationals: Moorcroft Boy (1996) and Baronet (1998).
Viking Flagship, a winner of 24 races for the stable, and Mysilv (Triumph Hurdle) both recorded wins at Cheltenham. David also won two Scottish Grand Nationals: Moorcroft Boy (1996) and Baronet (1998).
He retired from training in 1999.
He retired from training in 1999.
Nicknamed ‘The Duke’ – the title of his autobiography, published in 1995 – he had a reputation for being difficult, a claim dismissed by his closest friends. Ironically, despite having forged successful careers as a jockey and trainer, he was allergic to horses. Indeed, his favourite sporting pastime was cricket.
Nicknamed ‘The Duke’ – the title of his autobiography, published in 1995 – he had a reputation for being difficult, a claim dismissed by his closest friends. Ironically, despite having forged successful careers as a jockey and trainer, he was allergic to horses. Indeed, his favourite sporting pastime was cricket.
Aged 67, David Nicholson died from a heart attack on August 27, 2006. He left £85,387.
Aged 67, David Nicholson died from a heart attack on August 27, 2006. He left £85,387.
He was survived by his wife Dinah and their two sons, Philip and John, neither of whom wanted to carry on the family tradition, although both had ridden winners for him as amateurs. Philip, who won the Grand Military Gold Cup on Burnt Oak while serving in the King’s Troop, subsequently left the army and became a police officer, while John became a dry stone-waller.
He was survived by his wife Dinah and their two sons, Philip and John, neither of whom wanted to carry on the family tradition, although both had ridden winners for him as amateurs. Philip, who won the Grand Military Gold Cup on Burnt Oak while serving in the King’s Troop, subsequently left the army and became a police officer, while John became a dry stone-waller.
In 2008, an extra race was added to the Cheltenham Festival named The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle in honour of the trainer.
In 2008, an extra race was added to the Cheltenham Festival named The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle in honour of the trainer.
David Nicholson’s big winners as a jockey:
David Nicholson’s big winners as a jockey:
1959: Welsh Grand National – Limonali
1959: Welsh Grand National – Limonali
1960: Imperial Cup – Farmer’s Boy
1960: Imperial Cup – Farmer’s Boy
1960: Welsh Grand National – Clover Bud
1960: Welsh Grand National – Clover Bud
1961: Welsh Grand National – Limonali
1961: Welsh Grand National – Limonali
1962: Stone’s Ginger Wine Chase – Rough Tweed
1962: Stone’s Ginger Wine Chase – Rough Tweed
1962: Cathcart Challenge Cup Chase – Hoodwinked
1962: Cathcart Challenge Cup Chase – Hoodwinked
1963: Grand Annual Chase – Anner Loch
1963: Grand Annual Chase – Anner Loch
1965: Schweppes Gold Trophy – Elan
1965: Schweppes Gold Trophy – Elan
1967: Whitbread Gold Cup – Mill House
1967: Whitbread Gold Cup – Mill House
1971: Totalisator Champion Novices’ Chase – Tantalum
1971: Totalisator Champion Novices’ Chase – Tantalum
1971: Worcester Royal Porcelain Handicap Chase – Tantalum
1971: Worcester Royal Porcelain Handicap Chase – Tantalum
1972: Worcester Royal Porcelain Handicap Chase – Tantalum
1972: Worcester Royal Porcelain Handicap Chase – Tantalum
1973: Gloucestershire Hurdle – King Pele
1973: Gloucestershire Hurdle – King Pele
1973: County Handicap Hurdle – Current Romance
1973: County Handicap Hurdle – Current Romance
David Nicholson on his 1965 Schweppes Hurdle winner Elan.