Nicholas Gordon Richards (born 25 February 1956 in

Alnwick Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish border, inland from the North Sea ...

, Northumberland) is a British

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

trainer specialising mainly in

National Hunt National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, Great Britain and Ireland. Jump Racing requires horses to jump over fences and ditches. In ...

racing. He is based at stables at Greystoke, near

Penrith, Cumbria Penrith (, ) is a market town and civil parish in the Westmorland and Furness district of Cumbria, England. It is less than outside the Lake District, Lake District National Park and about south of Carlisle. It is between the Rivers River Pet ...

, England He was British champion amateur flat jockey in 1973 and subsequently worked as assistant trainer to his father, Gordon W. Richards. He took over the training licence when his father died in 1998. He saddled a winner with his first runner, Better Times Ahead, at Carlisle Racecourse in October 1998. The most successful horse he has trained to date is Monet's Garden, winner of the

Ascot Chase The Ascot Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs (2 miles, 5 fur ...

Melling Chase The Melling Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 m ...

and

Old Roan Chase The Old Roan Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Mildmay Course at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlong ...

in 2007. The grey won his third Old Roan Chase in 2010 having also won it in 2009. One of Richards most successful days as a trainer came at the Aintree Festival on 7 April 2005,when he trained three winners on the card. The horses involved were Monet's Garden, Faasel, and Turpin Green.The Form Book – Jump Racing 2004-2005 published by Raceform.

References

Independent newspaper profile
Living people Alumni of Anglia Ruskin University 1956 births People from Alnwick Sportspeople from Northumberland British racehorse trainers {{UK-horseracing-bio-stub