Embedded Files
Jack Nicholls
Jack Nicholls
Jack Nicholls was a prominent rider in hunter chases and point-to-points in the immediate post-war era, winning both the Cheltenham Foxhunters and the Aintree Foxhunters in 1947 on Sydney Banks’s nine-year-old gelding Lucky Purchase.
Jack Nicholls was a prominent rider in hunter chases and point-to-points in the immediate post-war era, winning both the Cheltenham Foxhunters and the Aintree Foxhunters in 1947 on Sydney Banks’s nine-year-old gelding Lucky Purchase.
The 1947 Cheltenham National Hunt meeting was originally scheduled for 11, 12 and 13 March but the severe weather caused it to be postponed by a week and subsequently abandoned owing to frost. Most of the important races, including the Foxhunters’ Challenge Cup, were therefore run in April. Lucky Purchase and Celtic Cross, the mount of leading amateur Dicky Black, jumped the last fence alongside and had a ding-dong battle up the Cheltenham hill, with Lucky Purchase prevailing by a neck.
The 1947 Cheltenham National Hunt meeting was originally scheduled for 11, 12 and 13 March but the severe weather caused it to be postponed by a week and subsequently abandoned owing to frost. Most of the important races, including the Foxhunters’ Challenge Cup, were therefore run in April. Lucky Purchase and Celtic Cross, the mount of leading amateur Dicky Black, jumped the last fence alongside and had a ding-dong battle up the Cheltenham hill, with Lucky Purchase prevailing by a neck.
With the meeting having been postponed until April, Lucky Purchase had by then already won the Liverpool Foxhunters’ Chase, which in those days was run over the full Grand National course of 4 miles 856 yards. There were only six runners and just two finishers. Lucky Purchase fell at the third fence but was remounted and still managed to beat Revealed, the only other to complete, by a distance.
With the meeting having been postponed until April, Lucky Purchase had by then already won the Liverpool Foxhunters’ Chase, which in those days was run over the full Grand National course of 4 miles 856 yards. There were only six runners and just two finishers. Lucky Purchase fell at the third fence but was remounted and still managed to beat Revealed, the only other to complete, by a distance.
Following those big race triumphs at Aintree and Cheltenham, Lucky Purchase’s next race was the Beaufort Foxhunters’ Chase at the annual Beaufort Hunt NH fixture on 26 April, for which he started at 2/1 on and again won by a distance
Following those big race triumphs at Aintree and Cheltenham, Lucky Purchase’s next race was the Beaufort Foxhunters’ Chase at the annual Beaufort Hunt NH fixture on 26 April, for which he started at 2/1 on and again won by a distance
Jack was a habitual stutterer. There is a story told in Michael Williams’ book ‘The Continuing Story Of Point-To-Point Racing’, whereby, at Cottenham on a very wet day, Len Coville was riding a young horse that he couldn’t hold one side of, owing to the slippery reins. Needing something to go in front of him, he turned to Jack Nicholls, who was just behind, and shouted to him to go past. However, due to his bad stammer, it took Jack most of the race to say that his horse was incapable of going any faster; although, in the end it did, to such an extent that it won the race.
Jack was a habitual stutterer. There is a story told in Michael Williams’ book ‘The Continuing Story Of Point-To-Point Racing’, whereby, at Cottenham on a very wet day, Len Coville was riding a young horse that he couldn’t hold one side of, owing to the slippery reins. Needing something to go in front of him, he turned to Jack Nicholls, who was just behind, and shouted to him to go past. However, due to his bad stammer, it took Jack most of the race to say that his horse was incapable of going any faster; although, in the end it did, to such an extent that it won the race.
Based at Buckworth, near Huntingdon in the late 1950s and early ’60s he owned and trained Bashful Scot to win seven races, ridden on three occasions by Peter Major and four times by himself.
Based at Buckworth, near Huntingdon in the late 1950s and early ’60s he owned and trained Bashful Scot to win seven races, ridden on three occasions by Peter Major and four times by himself.
He rode a total of 17 winners under National Hunt rules, the last of which was the Fitzwilliam Handicap Chase at Huntingdon on Bashful Scot on Easter Monday, 3 April 1961.
He rode a total of 17 winners under National Hunt rules, the last of which was the Fitzwilliam Handicap Chase at Huntingdon on Bashful Scot on Easter Monday, 3 April 1961.
Jack Nicholls died in May 1998, aged 85.
Jack Nicholls died in May 1998, aged 85.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse