Tributes paid after death of "sprint king" Dandy Nicholls at age of 61

By Andy Stephens

Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023

By Andy Stephens

Former jockey and trainer Dandy Nicholls, who was renowned for his training of sprinters, has died at the age 61.

His son, Adrian, revealed his father had died in a tweet posted on social media just after 11am on Sunday and later said: "He passed away in his sleep at home this morning.

"He'd been battling a few problems of late. Everybody knows in racing what he did. He was a very good jockey and an even better trainer and probably an even better dad.

"His record speaks for itself. There are a few other people snapping at his heels to take the 'Sprint King' title, but they'll be doing well to do what he did.

"Even yesterday, he was watching the racing and saw Sovereign Debt [who he used to train] win at Epsom.

Nicholls was nicknamed the “Sprint King” during his illustrious training career. After beginning with just five horses, he scooped big races in Europe such as the Nunthorpe Stakes, the July Cup, the Prix de l'Abbaye and the Haydock Sprint Cup.

Nicholls saddled the winner of the Ayr Gold Cup on six occasions (Racingfotos.com)

With the help of his wife, champion lady jockey Alex Greaves, he ended up with a string of more than 100 at his peak and he was also an expert in big-field handicaps.

Born in Pudsey, West Yorkshire, Nicholls - who picked up his 'Dandy' tag from his early days in the saddle after the actress Dandy Nichols, who played Alf Garnet's long-suffering wife Else in Till Death Us Do Part - began training in 1992.

Based at Tall Trees Stables near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, Nicholls, who had been battling illness, went out with a winner as stable star Sovereign Debt landed a valuable race in Qatar at the end of February and only on Saturday won the Diomed Stakes at Epsom for his new trainer Ruth Carr.

Nicholls won the Ayr Gold Cup six times, sending out three winners in succession between 2000-02 from his base at Tall Trees Stables, near Thirsk.

The last of them was Redford in 2010 (see video below).

As a jockey, he also partnered more than 400 winners. He was best know for his association with extraordinary filly Soba, who strung together a sequence of sprinting wins in 1982.

Three months ago, Nicholls announced he was retiring from the training ranks and

cited financial pressures as the reason for calling it a day

His final runner, and winner, was Sovereign Debt, who secured a big prize in Qatar on February 24.

At Epsom on Saturday, the grey, now trained by Ruth Carr, won the Group Three Diomed Stakes.

Carr, who took over the handling of Sovereign Debt when the Pudsey-born Nicholls handed in his licence earlier in the year, is the granddaughter of Soba's trainer, the late David Chapman.

"It's very sad. He was so good with his sprinters over the years," she said. "Grandad thought a lot of him. It's a sad time for all involved."

Nicholls Jr said he was excellent with young jockeys finding their way in the sport.

"He was good with apprentices and would always help jockeys out," he said. "There are a lot of lads who wouldn't be where they were if it wasn't for his help. He'd go out of his way to help you.

"We were only talking the other day about some of his sprinters. What he did with Bahamian Pirate, winning a Nunthorpe at the age of nine, an Ayr Gold Cup and other big races having started off as a plater just showed what he could do.

"The yard would be full of horses, not just good ones. Dad was being sent horses and improving them hand over fist and he had a great team round him at home.

"He won the Epsom Dash five times - I won it for him once (on Rudi's Pet in 2002). I don't think there was a sprint he didn't win. And he wasn't just winning them, he was having the first two, three or even four."

Nicholls enjoyed his best season in 2011, when he enjoyed 93 domestic winners.

Last campaign he only managed 24 winners, but still enjoyed big-race victories with Orion's Bow and Kimberella.

Adrian said at the time of his retirement: "We used to turn up in Ireland with the likes of Tax Free and Inxile and win Listed and Group races for fun, it was like shelling peas.

"Dad didn't go looking for sprinters, but after he'd had success with them a lot of people started sending them to us, a bit like Robert Cowell now, but we also had success with two-year-olds like Strike Up The Band and Mister Manannan.

"One horse who'd sum him up was Funfair Wane. He was a nutcase yet he managed to win two Ayr Gold Cups. He wasn't an easy horse to train and it was probably why they got on so well."

A number of racing figures have paid tribute on social media, with jockey Tony Hamilton tweeting: "Saddened to hear the loss of Dandy Nicholls who got me started as an apprentice. RIP."

(Ayr Gold Cup memories below - watch how Nicholls won with such as Bahamian Pirate, Continent and Funfair Wane)

Fellow rider Chris Hayes echoed those sentiments, adding: "Very sad to hear that Dandy Nicholls has passed away. A great character and a brilliant trainer. My thoughts are with his whole family."

Another weighing room colleague George Chaloner said: "Saddened to hear the loss of Dandy Nicholls. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends."

Former champion jockey Richard Hughes, who won the 2005 Dash for the trainer on Fire Up The Band, said: "Dandy Nicholls RIP. Horse racing has lost a great man and trainer."

Owner Dr Marwan Koukash, who had horses with Nicholls, said: "Very sad to hear of the death of Dandy (king of sprints) Nicholls . RIP mate and many thanks for the wonderful memories."