Paul Nicholls to battle ex-wife on the racecourse as former lovers have runners in same Cheltenham race
PAUL NICHOLLS will take on his third ex-wife on the racecourse – after both declared runners in the same race on Saturday.
The 14-time champion trainer will meet former flame Georgie in the 4.45 at Cheltenham where they will look to land the concluding bumper in the Showcase meeting.
PASuperstar trainer Nicholls will go for a 15th title this season – but needs to get the better of ex-wife Georgie at Cheltenham[/caption]
Georgie is out looking to make a name for herself as a top trainer in her own rightRex
Victory is worth £8,000 but much, much more important than that is the bragging rights at stake.
Willie Mullins leads the way with his raider Catch Yourself On an early 5-2 favourite.
But Paul’s Soir De Gala, owned by billionaire racing tycoon JP McManus, is not without a chance at 10-1.
While Georgie’s The Northernlights will be a 50-1 shot under Welsh jockey James Bowen.
Georgie Nicholls took out her full training licence in June and has been prepping for the jumps season since.
She married Ditcheat supremo Paul after her marriage to former jockey and Sky Sports presenter Luke Harvey broke down after just 16 months.
Georgie and Paul were together for 12 years before separating in 2016.
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Paul, 61, has TV presenter daughter Megan and jockey daughter Olive with Georgie.
But he is now with girlfriend Poppy Hemmings – a Somerset-born rider who is roughly half his age.
The couple welcomed baby boy Henry on Cheltenham Gold Cup day in March 2022, with Paul rushing from the track to make the birth.
Georgie and Paul were seen cheering on young Olive finish third in the St James’s Palace Hunters’ Chase at this year’s Festival.
What does Paul think of his horse’s chances?
He told Betfair: “He’s a nice type who ran with plenty of promise on his debut in a bumper at Wincanton in April and will be going over hurdles before long. He is a big, chasing type for the future and looks as though he has improved physically over the the summer. I’d like to think he can run tidily.”
She told the Racing Post they have had ‘plenty of banter’ about potentially taking each other on on the track.
Georgie, who previously trained a Grade 1 winner before putting her career on the side while married to Paul, said: “I was 23 when I took out my full licence, but then I met Paul and moved down to Ditcheat.
“I’d like to think I wasn’t clueless before I met Paul, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t pick up an awful lot.
“We get on really well and he wrote me a reference to get my licence.
“We’ve had plenty of banter and I don’t think he’s quaking in his boots, but we can dream of that.”
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