It is an indication of the exceptionally high standards at Paul Nicholls’ Ditcheat yard over the past quarter of a century that two third‑place finishes in the jumps trainers’ championship, with at least £2.5m banked in prize money in each campaign, have prompted something of a reset before the new season over jumps, which begins in earnest at Cheltenham on Friday.
Nicholls will have three assistants at the stable this season, including his daughter Olive while his oldest daughter, Megan, has also joined the team and is sourcing new recruits for Ditcheat.
