Jack Nicholls’ maiden Group One success thrills father Adrian

Adrian Nicholls was beaming with pride having watched his son Jack break his Group One duck on Miss Yechance on Sunday.

A Group One-winning rider himself in his first career, Nicholls now trains in Sessay near Thirsk in North Yorkshire while his own father David “Dandy” Nicholls earned the moniker of the Sprint King throughout his career.

As Jack is still an apprentice, it was a bold call by trainer Karl Burke and his owners the Al Leith Racing Club to leave him on in such a big race, but their faith was rewarded in style.

“It was unbelievable, unreal. Ironically my first ride in a Group One was the Abbaye and I only finished third so he’s got that over on me now!” said Nicholls.

“I’ve been giving him enough stick, but it took me long enough to win my Group One and he’s halfway there already, but I’m delighted for him.

“All credit to Karl and his team and the owners for sticking by him. It’s hard enough getting a ride in a Group One never mind winning.

“It is usually the case that the well-established jockeys get all the rides in the big races, but fair dos to Karl and the owners. I’d been on both sides of it.

“I said to Jack when he’d won his Group Three that he’d done his job whatever happened with the filly.”

Approaching the final furlong Miss Yechance had none other than Ryan Moore to catch on Mission Central, with Mickael Barzalona the last to challenge on Shiri but the 20-year-old held firm.

His dad said: “Everything just went in his favour really. When we went through the race it appeared all the major dangers were drawn high, usually it is bottomless ground, but it was nice ground and it just all worked out.

“There are so many ups and downs in racing, you’ve got to enjoy the good days as there are so many bad ones. I just can’t thank Karl and the owners enough, it was a big call and they could have had the pick of any big jockey.

“Myself and Clare (wife) were laughing yesterday because four years ago he led up Tees Spirit in the Abbaye for us. He might have been champion amateur but compared to his sister Mia he was a late bloomer, she was definitely the enthusiastic one!

“This year he has really come on, he’s a good kid and I’m not just saying that and he’s with a genius of a trainer, he’s definitely with the right man. Cliff Lee and the boys there have really looked after him and when you surround yourself with good people, good things happen.

“He’s riding good horses every day which you’ve got to do. At the start of the year I said to him if he won a heritage handicap he’d be doing well, well he’s done a bit better than that.

“Nothing fazes him, I’ll give him that. Unlike me he probably sat for five strides, like William Buick said, he’s much cooler than me in a finish!

“For him it’s what dreams are made of and wherever she goes, Breeders’ Cup, Dubai, they can’t take it away from him, he’s done all he can.

“Hopefully we’ll have a party at some stage – Jack can pay now!”