Nicholls misses Gold Cup deadline
Sprint-king David Nicholls will not be represented in this season's Ayr Gold Cup after an administrative error led to none of his horses being entered in the six-furlong event, run on September 16.
The Thirsk handler sent out Bahamian Pirate and Continent to win in 2000 and 2001 before saddling Funfair Wane to win both the 2002 and 2004 renewals.
Nicholls has expressed his disappointment and revealed that he had been hoping to enter no fewer than 26 horses in this year’s race.
“I would have entered 26 – they would not have all got in, but those that didn’t would have got in the consolation race. Nobody will feel as devastated or as bad about this as me,” he told the Racing Post.
“There was an administrative error in the office and we didn’t enter any horses,” he explained.
“The race is very close to my heart – it’s my Derby – and when I realised what had happened I nearly fell over.
“There is no point in blaming anybody though. The name on the licence is mine - I'm the one who has phoned all the owners to tell them and I am the person who will take the flak.”
