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

The 5-2 possibility conquered some questionable leaping to hold back Nosy Neighbour in the 2m6f newbie handicap obstacle under Danny McMenamin

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

His last three runners had actually been brought up and he said: "It's excellent to lastly get the monkey off my back and get to the 1,000 as we've waited long enough.

"Danny drew my attention to the reality we were closing in on the landmark when we were in the vehicle one day a couple of months earlier and he was looking at his iPad as he does many of the time and and I believe we were 16 short then."

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

Richards quickly carried 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 also won the 2m7 1/2 f novice handicap chase on Aill Dubh.

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

His very first winner came at Carlisle, where he took a two-runner race with Better Times Ahead - a chaser who had actually formerly led Gordon Richards' funeral cortege. His most respected season was 2006-07, when he won 64 races, consisting of 2 Grade 1s with classy chaser Monet's Garden.

Turpin Green completed third in the Gold Cup for him that season and other excellent horses he has actually 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 finest Nicky Richards horses

Monet's Garden

This dashing grey was not just one of Nicky Richards' biggest horses however likewise one of 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 total, taking the Old Roan Chase and Melling Chase two times each. Those were amongst 17 wins for a horse who earned ₤ 683,000 and has a bar called in his honour at Carlisle.

Simply Ned

The classy two-mile chaser won 8 times in Britain but his two finest days can be found in Ireland.

He was hampered on the run-in when a close 2nd in a Grade 1 race at Leopardstown's Christmas meeting in 2017 and awarded the race at a query. But he required no assistance from the stewards 12 months later when he took the same race completely on merit, leading close home under Mark Walsh.

Takingrisks

Richards has yet to emulate his father by winning the Grand National however he landed the Scottish version with a 25-1 shot who endured a bad error at the first fence to score by a decisive 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), trainer 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 trainer Rectory Farm, Greystoke, near Penrith, Cumbria given that 1998

First winner as trainer 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 fitness instructors' 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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