Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has admitted to taking immense satisfaction from a poignant victory at Newbury on Monday, where his new recruit Minella Yoga defeated the odds-on favourite Act Of Innocence – a horse recently taken from his yard.
A Bittersweet Departure from Ditcheat
The win carried significant emotional weight for the 14-time champion jumps trainer. Earlier this year, 18 horses left his Ditcheat stable, including several highly promising young talents owned by Gordon and Su Hall. Among them were Cheltenham Festival runner-up Ginny’s Destiny and the exciting hurdling prospects Old Park Star and Act Of Innocence, all of whom joined the powerful stable of rival trainer Nicky Henderson.
Nicholls has spoken openly about how the loss impacted him. In a recent interview, he revealed he was never given a reason for the move, simply being told the horses "weren’t coming back." He expressed particular frustration as he had deliberately given the horses time to mature, a strategy from which others are now benefitting. "It was bloody hard losing those horses and it’s hard now watching them win," Nicholls confessed.
Newbury Showdown: The Perfect Response
The stage was set for a dramatic encounter in the Introductory Hurdle at Newbury. Act Of Innocence, now with Henderson and having won on his hurdling debut, was sent off the 2-7 favourite to secure a second victory. For much of the race, the script went to plan as he led the field approaching the final stages.
However, Nicholls had a potent new weapon. Minella Yoga, a three-year-old bought for £360,000 and making his British debut, was lying in wait. Under a 20lb weight allowance due to his age, the youngster produced a powerful finishing surge on the run-in, overtaking the favourite to win by three-quarters of a length.
Triumph and Future Prospects
"You can imagine I loved that. I loved that one," a beaming Nicholls said after the race, making no secret of his delight. He praised Minella Yoga's performance, noting the horse's class and potential for improvement, especially on slower ground. "He's one of the nicest youngsters we have without a shadow of a doubt," the trainer added.
While cautious about mapping out a full campaign, Nicholls suggested the Triumph Hurdle could be a long-term aim and mentioned Trials Day at Cheltenham in late January as a possible next target. The victory not only announced a exciting new talent but also served as the perfect riposte for a trainer who felt a keen sense of injustice earlier in the season.
