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Megan Nicholls is an ambassador for York Racecourse
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She has won the Silk Series three times
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Knappers Hill is her biggest winner to date
Megan Nicholls is now a familiar name to both horse racing punters and viewers alike, but who exactly is this multitalented individual?
We endeavour to find out who this betting favourite and budding television personality is...
Early Life
The daughter of champion National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls was understandably a pony-mad little girl when her father was sending out winner after winner with high profile horses.
When Megan was just a toddler, her now champion trainer father had won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and King George VI Chase with See More Business and the likes of Kauto Star and Denman were making headlines for the Ditcheat yard.
“Dad used to try and keep us away from the racehorses when he could, but we liked to join the back of the string and get involved. I was mad keen – I think it was harder to drag me off the ponies than get me on them”, she told the Horse And Hound.
Pony racing became Megan’s passion as a child, competing on a little chap called What A Risk, but her schoolwork began to play second fiddle to the horses.
After completing just one year of her lower sixth A-levels, her parents saw that she was desperately unhappy with school and allowed her to work in the yard full time.
A career in National Hunt racing looked all set and in her first season pointing she had 17 winners, but before the following season started she suddenly had a change of heart.
“Once that first pointing season was over, I rode as an amateur on the Flat, had a few winners and loved it – it gave me a different buzz,” she says. “And that’s when I dropped the bombshell that I wanted to be a Flat jockey.”
At first it did not go down to well with Paul and he really believed it was something she would get out of her system, but as of 2022 her Flat successes are still growing and her enthusiasm for it shows no signs of waning.
Her father has even come round to accepting that Flat racing is her current vocation. It is now commonplace for punters to include Megan in their horse racing online bets.
Career Record
As of March 2022, Megan Nicholls has had just shy of 1000 mounts and has amassed 102 winners.
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Most successful racecourses: Newcastle (7) Haydock (5) Bath (3) Redcar (2)
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Winners for trainer: P. Nicholls (11) J. O’Keeffe (4) R.Fahey (3)
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Winners for owners: J.Dance (5) Titanium Racing (5) Mr S.White (2)
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Multiple horse wins: Devil’s Angel (3) Sucellus (2) Oleg (2) Knappers Hill (2)
Biggest Win
Megan Nicholls’ biggest winner to date is her victory aboard Knappers Hill at Aintree in 2021. She partnered Knappers Hill to a Grade 2 success for her father Paul Nicholls in the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
The horse was tipped up by several shrewd newspaper columnists as their Aintree NAP of the day.
Speaking immediately after her win, an ecstatic Megan said: "I had a great time pointing then turned to the Flat. I’m just so happy.
"Dad and the team have really helped and looked after me and when he mentioned about riding some of the bumper horses I was snapping his arm off.
"You can’t help but be excited riding young gorgeous horses like that. I know I’m babbling on but I’m quite speechless at the same time.
"It’s awesome. Any bigger meeting whether it is over the flat or jumps is huge. To be riding on Grand National day is like anyone's dream. To have a winning chance, let alone be able to ride the winner is just amazing. It’s my first ride in a graded race."
Personal Life
Megan is currently dating fellow jockey Kevin Stott. The couple met in Dubai in the winter of 2019/20 and instantly hit it off, even getting through the lockdown together.
Apparently Stott had to sit through endless hours of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, though it is unlikely that the reality TV show has played any part in Megan's rise to prominence as one of Britain's best horse racing pundits.
When racing started again the pair of them came out in red-hot form with Nicholls also landing a presenting role for herself on Racing TV.
Silk Series
In 2019 Megan won the Silk Series for the third time in three years and did it with a race to spare.
Victory aboard the Richard Fahey-trained Noble Prospector at Wolverhampton gave her a fifth win in th 15-race programme and an unassailable lead over her closest rival Hayley Turner.
Nicholls is the only jockey to have won the innovative series three times, which was launched in 2017 with the aim of promoting and celebrating the best female jockeys. Her riding talents were really showcased through taking part in the competition.
New Horizons
Not only is Megan Nicholls a well established rider and has also become a regular face on Racing TV and ITV Racing, but she is now intent on adding yet another arrow to her bow by adding talent spotting at the sales to her already busy life.
Speaking to the bloodstock folks at the Racing Post, Nicholls explained: "It's definitely something I want to do more of," she says of her work at the sales.
"I've been following a few people around for the last couple of years trying to learn as much as I can, but at some stage you have to stand on your own two feet, so hopefully this year will prove a good opportunity to open a few more doors.
Megan Nicholls Social Media
Like most young and upwardly mobile people, Megan is quite active on the social media platforms. Her Instagram page lists her endorsements and sponsors as:
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Professional jockey sponsored by Morson @morsonsportsnews
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Pundit @itvracing & @racingtv
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Ambassador for @yorkraces
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Enquiries contact @media_mgmt_
Whilst her Twitter has the following details:
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Professional jockey sponsored by @Morsongroup
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Pundit @itvracing & @racingtv Ambassador @yorkracecourse
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Media Enquiries @media_mgmt_ & @AmieCanham
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 11th March 2022
