‘Heartless’ Paul Nicholls takes on ex-wife Georgie as she reveals banter in run up to Wincanton clash

10 months ago 69

GEORGIE NICHOLLS is hoping to to get one over on her ‘heartless’ ex-hubby Paul today.

The Grade 1-winning trainer is still waiting for her first winner over jumps this season, having only taken out her full licence again last year.

She trains in Oxfordshire — with the couple’s daughter Olive as assistant.

And the pair have high hopes for the promising Thank You Ma’am — named in honour of the late Queen — at Wincanton.

But Georgie’s famous former husband of 13 years is standing in her way of a landmark win.

Annoyingly for her, the 14-time champion trainer runs Fire Flyer, who was second to Grade 2 winner Gidleigh Park on his most recent start, in the same race.

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Because there were so many declarations for the two-mile novice hurdle, the race split into two divisions.

And today’s race would have been an open goal for Posh Pundit Racing Syndicate-owned Thank You Ma’am if the Ditcheat runner was on the other side of the draw.

Georgie said: “Thank You Ma’am is ready to go and he will give it his best — and we’ve got main man James Bowen on board which is a plus.

“We were thrilled with his second at Fontwell on Boxing Day. We think he is a lovely horse in the making.

“It’s just a shame Paul has a runner in the same race! I phoned him earlier in the week and said to him, ‘have a bloody heart, don’t run your horse at Wincanton’.

“Then he rang me on Tuesday morning laughing his head off saying the race has split and we are in the same division.

“I just called him a nob!

“It’s all been good banter, I know they think quite a bit of their horse, but we like ours and it will be very satisfying indeed if we win.”