WHEN the Cheltenham Festival gets underway, ITV Racing viewers will be treated to the expertise of Megan Nicholls.
As the daughter of famed trainer Paul Nicholls, Megan has established her name in horse racing – without the need to rely on nepotism.
Stewart Williams – The SunMegan Nicholls is one of the elegant faces of ITV Racing[/caption]
Craig Harvey / Femme CountryNicholls recently starred in a fashion shoot for Femme Country magazine[/caption]
Craig Harvey / Femme CountryNicholls poses for the classy lifestyle magazine[/caption]
Craig Harvey / Femme CountryNicholls dazzles for the cover image for Femme Country magazine[/caption]
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A talented pundit, the 27-year-old has branched out as a magazine cover star – showing off her fashion chops back in October with a glossy photoshoot with Femme Country magazine.
While she also posed in famed tailor Owen Scott’s launch for his women’s range last year.
Furthermore, her father Paul has enlisted his daughter’s services in sourcing horses to help turn his stable’s fortunes around.
Is there anything Megan can’t do?
Starting out in the business
With a dad like Paul Nicholls, a 14-time champion with 3,500 winners to his name, it would have been remiss for Megan not to get involved in the sport.
Growing up at Manor Farm Stables in Ditcheat, Somerset, she began her riding career in Point-to-Points before transitioning to flat racing, where she achieved notable success with 110 winners.
In 2021, speaking of growing up with champion horses, she told Horse & Hound: “You knew that they were special because of the fuss made over them.
“Dad used to try and keep us away from the racehorses when he could, but we liked to join the back of the string and get involved.
“I was mad keen – I think it was harder to drag me off the ponies than get me on them.”
Famously, Megan rode Knappers Hill to victory in the Grade Two bumper at Aintree in 2021.
Having a leg up in the industry did lead to outsiders labelling her a nepo baby, but that doesn’t bother her.
Last year, she told The Sun: “I don’t let it worry me.
“Our family lives and breathes horses, it was hardly surprising I went into the business.
“I don’t see it as any different to going into any family firm, no one would blink if my dad owned a garage and I became a mechanic.
“He’s helped the most by instilling in me his work ethic and fire in my belly to succeed.
“I’ve seen him over the years always wanting to thrive and get better and he’s passed that on to me, my biggest fault is probably being a perfectionist.”
GettyLegendary trainer Paul Nicholls is Megan’s dad[/caption]
PANicholls celebrates Knappers Hill’s victory at Aintree in 2021[/caption]
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Booming TV career
After hanging up her saddle, Megan turned her attentions to media work.
She is a pundit for ITV Racing, alongside Sir AP McCoy, Mick Fitzgerald, Matt Chapman and Kevin Blake.
Megan also works for Racing TV, while she will be proving a column for SunSport during the Cheltenham Festival.
She told us: “I started being offered more opportunities and felt that was where my future lay.
“Starting out was nerve wracking, far more so than racing but now it’s become second nature and I love it, particularly the big festivals like Cheltenham, Aintree and Royal Ascot.”
On top of that, BetMGM have Megan as one of their ambassadors.
She regularly offers her insight and expert opinion on the world of horse racing with the betting giant.
AlamySince hanging up her saddle in 2022, Nicholls has thrown herself in to media work[/caption]
Instagram @meg_nicholls97Nicholls will be hosting ITV Racing’s coverage at Cheltenham from March 11[/caption]
Meghan always manages to turn heads with her fashion senseInstagram @meg_nicholls97
Fashionista
As her career goes from strength-to-strength, Megan’s elegance and beauty has shone through.
She has never looked better than when she appeared on the cover of the Autumn 2024 edition of Femme Country magazine.
The stunning photoshoot saw the fashionista perfect stylish looks wearing luxury brands Clements and Church and Hattie Hawksworth.
Femme Country shared images from the shoot on their social media.
Writing on Instagram, they posted: “Megan Nicholls is a lady conquering in the world of equestrian and style.
“Known for her succession in the saddle and her recognition in horse racing media, Megan is a prominent female figure, and her journey is nothing short of inspiring.
“Many of you may know Megan for her articulate and engaging presenting style on @itvracing some may recognise her as the jockey who rode Knappers Hill to victory in the Grade Two bumper at Aintree in 2021, and others will know Megan from her commitment to fashion and the partnerships she holds with some of Britain’s most renowned rural fashion labels.”
Megan also worked with famed tailor Owen Scott Bespoke on their women’s range, HER.
Not only did she part in a glam shoot, she collaborated with the tailor who counts Man Utd legends Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes as clients, to produce a Her x Megan collection.
Helping out the family
Last month, as we exclusively revealed, Megan will be working closely with dad Paul in sourcing horses for his stables.
Nicholls is enduring one of the toughest seasons of his career.
High-profile defeats for some big-money buys, notably Caldwell Potter and Regent’s Stroll who cost a combined £1.27 million, has seen Tom Malone, the bloodstock agent who sources most of Nicholls’ horses, come in for some scrutiny.
Nicholls denied there had been a split between the two men, but he is set to shake things up in an attempt to beat the likes of Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson to the best horses on the market.
And that’s where Megan comes in.
Nicholls said: “I’ve been hearing all sorts of rumours, Tom and I are good mates but there has never been any contract between us.
“He’s a freelance and he buys plenty for me, so do several others.
“I’m going to work with everybody, but Megan is going to get quite a bit more involved for me.
Instagram @meg_nicholls97Glam Megan works a sideline of buying and selling horses[/caption]
AlamyMegan has recently turned her attentions to sourcing horses for her dad’s stable[/caption]
“Results could have gone better over the last few years but that’s the way things are, it’s very hard buying these days.
“I’ll keep all avenues open, but more so than ever I’d like to get Megan much more involved on that front.”
With everything Megan’s touching at the moment turning to gold, expect Nicholls’ stable to be thriving with winners once again with her involvement.
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