It's always handy for Dandy

14 April 2012

Ask a hundred racegoers what springs to mind when Glorious Goodwood is mentioned and the odds are you will receive dozens of different answers.

The spellbinding scenery of the Sussex Downs would almost certainly be top of the list, followed perhaps by Pimms, Panama hats and horses such as Rock of Gibraltar.

But for thousands of punters, one of the central characters when Goodwood comes around nowadays is a chunky, shaven-headed former jockey who started his training career in a caravan at his stables near Thirsk.

David Nicholls doesn't have to think too hard when asked to nominate the day Britain's most spectacular racecourse first cast its spell on him.

On a summer day in 1982 the youthful Nicholls, tipping the scales at a shade over eight stone and sporting a full head of hair, carved his name into Goodwood folklore when the brilliant Soba made Britain's fastest sprint handicappers look like they were running through treacle in the Stewards' Cup.

"I only got the nod for her because she could be a real frightening machine to ride and that day was only the second time I'd ever been to Goodwood," he said.

"Lester Piggott hardly ever spoke to me in the weighing room, but I remember him sidling up to me before that race and telling me I'd kill them dead if I got the stand rail. You would have to be some sort of idiot not to listen to advice like that, so I ran right up the fence from stall one and she bolted up."

It doesn't take a clairvoyant to work out that speed and Goodwood have been the driving forces in the career of "Dandy" Nicholls ever since.

Nor does it take an Einstein to observe that this is a man who still gets a massive kick out of tilting at major races with horses who cost a fraction of what it normally takes to compete at the big Festival meetings.

"Some of the young lads complain that this game is tough, but I've picked spuds to earn a few bob and that's real work," he added.

"We're up to 80 horses now, which means you are on call 24-7, but I love every minute of it and Goodwood week has gradually become a big team outing for me and the owners."

Plenty of good trainers go four years without having one winner at Glorious Goodwood. Nicholls has struck 12 times at his favourite racecourse in the last four seasons, and the remarkable Zuhair has had a race named in his honour after winning Wednesday's sprint handicap four years running.

The 10-year-old trailed home in the rear at Catterick on his most recent start last Wednesday, but Nicholls resents the idea that his horses only peak when the money is down.

"It drives me barmy to hear people on television talking about plots and job horses and, besides being hurtful, it just isn't true," he said.

"If I fancy a horse I'll tell people straight out, but mine isn't a gambling yard and I haven't had a single bet since I put £500 on a horse for one of the owners with Victor Chandler in a race last winter."

Nicholls could do with a winner or two to help pay for a further 65 acres he is planning to add to his training base and describes his latest raid on Goodwood as "another strong team without any obvious bankers."

He added: "Zuhair just becomes a different horse the moment he walks out at Goodwood and although he didn't fire last week it wouldn't surprise me to see him click again.

"Flak Jacket ran a blinder at Pontefract last time and is another who loves Goodwood. He'll probably go for Zuhair's race and then run again later in the week, while we'll be looking for good runs from the likes of Bahamian Pirate, Atlantic Viking, Pieter Brueghel, Sawwaah and Onlytime Will Tell."

The next five days will see any number of human and equine stars lining up alongside Nicholls on the top of a Sussex hill which can be magnificent in the sunshine or miserable when the sea mists roll in.

Sir Alex Ferguson stole most of the headlines when "The Rock" carried his colours to victory in the Sussex Stakes 12 months ago. With Dubai Destination set to take on Trade Fair, Zafeen and Kalaman, this year's race should go a long way towards crowning Europe's top miler again, while Thursday's Goodwood Cup will see Persian Punch bidding to add to his formidable record in staying events.

Saturday's Vodafone Nassau Stakes will see the brilliant 1,000 Guineas winner Russian Rhythm stepping up to a mile and a quarter for the first time, but for Nicholls the big events arrive once the sprinters explode from the stalls on Goodwood's rollercoaster straight course. "Every race at Goodwood is tough, but all mine have been in the boxing ring before and know what's needed," he added.

"Maybe we'll have a winner and maybe we won't. What we will do is have a good time, and I have a feeling that at least one of them will come up smelling of roses."

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It's always handy for Dandy

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