Lockdown Lowdown - Nicky Chilcott

We’ve asked trainers up and down the country where their horses are at as we prepare for the return to racing!

Today we talk to....... Nicky Chilcott

Nicky Chilcott currently has 19 at her barn – 13 racehorses, four breakers and two weanlings, as well as half a dozen foals to wean.

The lockdown brought her business to a virtual standstill.

“I train on a public complex (Cambridge) so our horses were on complete rest as our facility was closed apart from being allowed to go in and feed the ones we had left there.

All of mine apart from two were at my spelling block.”

She made the decision to forget about her two-year-olds for the season and bring them back at the start of the new season and concentrate on their 3-year-old campaigns.

“In all honesty it is probably the best thing for the horses as I believe we often put a lot of pressure on our young horses to perform when they are not actually mature enough to handle it and I know all of mine will be better off for the extra time left to mature and develop.”

Her racehorses are Phoebe Imperial, Monkey Selfie, Ivegotbills, Ally Mae, Sportngoodtime, Mac’s Tomado, Harry H, Nice Vintage, Jack Tar, Ferritts Sister, Flying Taine, Madeakillin and Whips N Spurs though she won’t have anything racing until late July at the very earliest.

“I am most excited about Nice Vintage and Monkey Selfie heading into the new season but I think all of them have shown potential and are capable of winning races when they resume.

So far this season she has 10 wins from 117 starts. Her best season winners-wise was 39 in 2004.