OLIVE NICHOLLS has left her role as assistant trainer to her dad, Paul, after three months to pursue a change of career.
She has only been in place as No2 alongside her 14-time champion trainer father at Ditcheat since May, when she announced her retirement as a jockey.
Olive Nicholls has left her role as assistant trainer to her dad, Paul Credit: Getty
Nicholls announced her retirement from the saddle in May, alongside her dad and mum, Georgie Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Nicholls, 20, had said previously she hoped to join her dad on the training licence in the future and looked likely to succeed him.
But she has now made the “difficult decision” to branch out and pursue a different career.
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She said: “There have been no issues and nothing has gone wrong and it obviously was a difficult decision to make.
“I have just never seen or known anything different and you’ve got to get out there a bit and see what is out there.
“I have no real plan at the minute, I’m helping mum out with her social media and trying to get her out there a bit more.
“I’ve applied for a few different things and just try to meet and speak to new people and get out there a bit.”
Nicholls rode 25 winners under Rules as an amateur jockey, with the highlight coming at Kempton last Christmas when she won on Viroflay.
Before joining her dad as pupil assistant at the beginning of last season, she had spent a couple of years training point-to-point horses.
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It has been a difficult few months for Paul, whose long-time supporter Johnny de la Hey removed his horses at the end of the 2025-26 season.
But he remains positive ahead of the start of the jumps season proper, having invested in new facilities at the yard and with Caldwell Potter returning from injury.
Sam Twiston-Davies is expected to ride the bulk of the Nicholls runners in 2026-27 after the departure of Harry Cobden to become JP McManus’ No1.
George Edgedale, who had been joint-assistant trainer with Olive, will continue in his role at Ditcheat.
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