Paul Nicholls is one of the top trainers in National Hunt racing, closing in on 4,000 winners over jumps.
A 14-time champion trainer in the United Kingdom, Nicholls’ Ditcheat empire is rocking and rolling ahead of what could be another memorable season.
While many of his horses feature in horse racing betting odds for the Cheltenham Festival, Nicholls admits that Aintree is just as important when it comes to his yard.
Here, we look at 10 of the best Paul Nicholls horses to follow in 2025/26. The Ditcheat handler will be hoping to defy the odds by claiming a 15th British trainers title come the end of the campaign...
Babyken
Babyken is a French purchase and the youngster should make into a tidy horse. He’s shown plenty at home and will set off on a juvenile hurdle campaign at the end of October.
Blueking D’oroux
Blueking D’oroux arrived from France with a fairly tall reputation but took a while to adapt to his new surroundings.
Nicholls says he is the sort that could make a much better chaser than he was a hurdler and has very high hopes for him.
Caldwell Potter
Formerly trained by Gordon Elliott, Caldwell Potter provided Nicholls with his 50th Festival success when landing the Grade 2 Jack Richard Novices’ Limited Handicap at Cheltenham.
Early considerations are the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 15th or the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park.
Doctor On Call
Won on debut in a bumper at Hereford in December of last year, and has done plenty of schooling and jumps well.
He should play his part in the novice hurdles over the winter.
Inthewaterside
Nicholls has said of Inthewaterside that he is a horse he likes a lot, and he is looking forward to his return in graduation races this season.
Jubilee Alpha
This six-year-old bay mare was very smart last season and there will be plenty of nice races in her to come.
She’s a candidate for the mares' hurdle on Charlie Hall Day at Wetherby, with the Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival being the ultimate goal.
No Drama This End
Winner of his only point-to-point, he took his bumper very well at Warwick and ran a fair race in the Champion Bumper.
He will go novice hurdling now, starting off in a two-and-a-half miles maiden hurdle at a racecourse possibly near you?
Pourquoi Pas Papa
This three-year-old was bought from France by Anthony Bromley over the summer.
He finished second on his only start for David Cottin in a 3-Y-O debutantes hurdle at Clairefontaine in June, finishing one-and-a-half lengths behind Parchment, who has subsequently joined David Pipe.
He will run in either NH novice hurdles or juvenile hurdles.
Rubaud
Victorious in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton for a second consecutive year before switching to fences landing the Grade 2 Pendil Chase at Kempton.
Rubaud looks like a Haldon Gold Cup type if ever there was one.
Threeunderthrufive
Rated a 152 chaser, he ran his best race last season when runner-up, beaten a nose to Victtorino in the Swinley Handicap Chase at Ascot.
Staying handicaps, including the Scottish National could well be on the cards this term.
*Credit for the main photo in this article belongs to Adobe*
