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Nicky Richards reached a notable landmark when Jehol De Thaix offered him the 1,000 th winner of his profession in the opener at Newcastle on Tuesday.

The 5-2 chance overcame some questionable jumping to hold back Nosy Neighbour in the 2m6f beginner handicap hurdle under Danny McMenamin

The Cumbria-based handler had been stuck on 999 winners for 18 days given that Jamesieconn scored at Doncaster on March 13 since when he had actually saddled 18 runners.

His last 3 runners had actually been pulled up and he stated: "It's terrific to finally get the monkey off my back and get to the 1,000 as we have actually waited enough time.

"Danny drew my attention to the fact we were closing in on the landmark when we were in the cars and truck one day a couple of months ago and he was taking a look at his iPad as he does most of the time and and I think we were 16 brief then."

McMenamin told Sky Sports Racing: "It's an honour and an advantage to 1,000 winner. I've been with him from the start and its a great achievement. Nicky got a letter this morning from somebody congratulating him on reaching the 1,000 which was a bit early but I said to him that we 'd get it today."

Richards rapidly moved on to 1,001 winners in the future the card when Smokeringinthedark landed the 2m4 1/2 f handicap hurdle to provide him a double and McMenamin a treble as the jockey likewise won the 2m7 1/2 f novice handicap chase on Aill Dubh.

He has actually been training since 1998, when he took over the licence on the death of his dual Grand National-winning dad Gordon.

His first winner came at Carlisle, where he took a two-runner race with Better Times Ahead - a chaser who had previously led Gordon Richards' funeral cortege. His most respected season was 2006-07, when he won 64 races, consisting of two Grade ones with classy chaser Monet's Garden.

Turpin Green finished third in the Gold Cup for him that season and other great horses he has trained include Scottish Grand National winner Takingrisks, dual Grade 1 scorer Simply Ned and Anglers Crag, who landed the Eider Chase at Newcastle last month.

Three of the very best Nicky Richards horses

Monet's Garden

This dashing grey was not simply among Nicky Richards' biggest horses but likewise among the very best chasers trained in the north this century.

He was an outstanding winner of the Grade 1 Ascot Chase in 2007 and 2010 and the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon in 2008, but it was his exploits at Aintree that really made his name.

Monet's Garden won there 5 times in overall, taking the Old Roan Chase and Melling Chase twice each. Those were amongst 17 wins for a horse who earned ₤ 683,000 and has actually a bar called in his honour at Carlisle.

Simply Ned

The high-class two-mile chaser won eight times in Britain but his 2 finest days can be found in Ireland.

He was hindered on the altercation when a close second in a Grade 1 race at Leopardstown's Christmas conference in 2017 and granted the race at a query. But he needed no aid from the stewards 12 months later when he took the same race totally on merit, leading close home under Mark Walsh.

Takingrisks

Richards has yet to imitate his dad by winning the Grand National however he landed the Scottish version with a 25-1 shot who survived a bad error at the first fence to score by a definitive four lengths at Ayr in 2019.

The doughty stayer also took the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle that year and was nursed back to form to spring a 40-1 surprise in the Great Yorkshire Chase at the age of 12 at Doncaster in 2021.

Nicky Richards' 1,000 wins as fitness instructor:

986 British dives

11 British Flat

3 Irish jumps

Nicky Richards CV

Full name Nicholas Gordon Richards

Born February 25, 1956

Father Gordon Richards (1930-98), fitness instructor of Titus Oates, Lucius, Hallo Dandy, One Man

Career as amateur rider 39 wins 1971-75; best winners The Spaniard (Fred Withington Chase), Titus Oates, Canadius (Princess Royal Hurdle); champion amateur on Flat 1973 (5 wins)

Assistant to Gordon Richards, Greystoke, near Penrith, Cumbria

Stables as fitness instructor Rectory Farm, Greystoke, near Penrith, Cumbria because 1998

First winner as fitness instructor Better Times Ahead (ridden by Tony Dobbin) handicap chase, Carlisle, October 9, 1998

First big-race winner Seems like Gold (1999 Becher Chase)

Melling Chase winner Monet's Garden (2007 )

Ascot Chase winner Monet's Garden (2007, 2010)

Old Roan Chase winner Monet's Garden (2007 (beat Kauto Star), 2009, 2010)

Peterborough Chase winner Monet's Garden (2008 )

Paddy's Rewards Club Chase winner Simply Ned (2017, 2018)

Scottish Grand National winner Takingrisks (2019 )

Caspian Caviar (December) Gold Cup winner Guitar Pete (2017 )

Sky Bet Chase winner Takingrisks (2021 )

Fighting Fifth Hurdle winner The French Furze (2003 )

Liverpool Hurdle winner Monet's Garden (2005 )

Ascot Hurdle winner Monet's Garden (2004 )

Scottish Champion Hurdle winner Noble Alan (2009 )

Mersey Novices' Hurdle winner Turpin Green (2005 )

Anniversary 4-Y-O Hurdle winner Faasel (2005 )

Placed in Cheltenham Gold Cup Turpin Green (3rd to Kauto Star, 2007)

Pattern-race treble Aintree, April 7, 2005 (Monet's Garden, Faasel, Turpin Green)

Highest-rated horses (RPRs) 168 Turpin Green, 167 Monet's Garden, 164 Eduard, 164 Simply Ned, 157 Faasel

Most respected Grade 1 winner Monet's Garden (3 )

Grade 1 wins 6

Highest position in trainers' championship tenth in 2005-06 and 2006-07

Most wins in a season 64 in 2006-07

1,000 th winner Jehol De Thaix, Newcastle, March 31, 2026

Compiled by John Randall

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