The numbers from the past twelve months tell their own story. Nicholls has sent out 92 winners from 504 runners — that is roughly 1 in every 5 races, an 18% win rate that any established yard in the country would be pleased with. When you consider that this comes from a trainer still in the early chapters of their career, it becomes genuinely impressive. The total tally of 583 career winners in four years suggests not just talent, but a relentless, organised operation.
Two wins at Newbury — one on 29 December 2025 and another on 7 February 2026 — alongside a victory at Sandown Park at the end of January paint a picture of a yard that shows up when the big occasions demand it. These are not quiet, mid-week results at smaller tracks; these are moments that matter, and Nicholls keeps delivering them.
Dig into the detail and a few things stand out. On very wet and muddy ground, the yard wins 10 from 34 races — nearly 3 in every 10 — which suggests a knack for preparing horses that genuinely relish a proper winter test. At Sedgefield, a smaller northern track, Nicholls has won 3 of just 5 races, hinting at a trainer who spots opportunities others might overlook. The partnership with jockey Harry Cobden is the engine room of the whole operation: 50 wins from 247 rides together, winning 1 in every 5, and clearly a combination that has built real trust over time. Meanwhile, Grand Vendetta — a horse Nicholls has partnered with on three occasions — has already provided one win, a relationship worth watching as it develops.
Four years in, 583 winners, and 87 wins at the very highest level. Whatever Paul Nicholls is doing, it is working.
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taunton | 45 | 13 | 28.9% |
| Newbury | 45 | 5 | 11.1% |
| Wincanton | 43 | 7 | 16.3% |
| Cheltenham | 40 | 2 | 5% |
| Newton Abbot | 39 | 13 | 33.3% |
| Chepstow | 31 | 3 | 9.7% |
| Kempton Park | 28 | 2 | 7.1% |
| Sandown Park | 27 | 6 | 22.2% |
| Plumpton | 23 | 6 | 26.1% |
| Ascot | 23 | 2 | 8.7% |
| Fontwell Park | 21 | 6 | 28.6% |
| Exeter | 17 | 2 | 11.8% |
| Musselburgh | 12 | 5 | 41.7% |
| Ludlow | 10 | 3 | 30% |
| Haydock Park | 10 | 1 | 10% |
| Ffos Las | 9 | 1 | 11.1% |
| Doncaster | 9 | 1 | 11.1% |
| Ayr | 9 | 1 | 11.1% |
| Warwick | 8 | 3 | 37.5% |
| Uttoxeter | 8 | 2 | 25% |
| Lingfield Park | 8 | 0 | 0% |
| Windsor | 7 | 1 | 14.3% |
| Sedgefield | 5 | 3 | 60% |
| hereford | 4 | 2 | 50% |
| Worcester | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Southwell | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Stratford-on-Avon | 2 | 1 | 50% |
| Aintree | 2 | 1 | 50% |
| Wetherby | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Fakenham | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Punchestown | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Huntingdon | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Perth | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Leicester | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Chester | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Market Rasen | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| compiegne | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Kelso | 1 | 0 | 0% |