Nicholls and Miss Yechance chasing the American dream

Jack Nicholls is dreaming of ending an exceptional year with victory at the Breeders’ Cup as he prepares to partner prize mount Miss Yechance in Keeneland.

The 20-year-old – who is the son of former jockey turned trainer Adrian Nicholls and grandson of the late David ‘Dandy’ Nicholls – has formed a phenomenal relationship with Karl Burke’s three-year-old, climbing the ranks rapidly in unison since landing a York handicap together in August.

Success in Newbury’s World Trophy proved the catalyst for Prix de l’Abbaye glory on Arc day, in what was his first attempt at a Group One. Now the young jockey is hoping for history to be repeated in his first taste of America in the Prevagem Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Nicholls said: “It’s unreal to be riding at the Breeders’ Cup at 20 and I couldn’t ask for much more this season.

“It’s been a whirlwind and even winning at York in a heritage handicap was more than I could have asked for. Everything that has come after that has just been an unbelievable bonus.

“It’s definitely been a year I’ll never forget and I’m just going to try keep a level head and as professional as I can be this week, as the attention and media is something different at a meeting such as this.”

If Nicholls and the Al Leith Racing Club-owned Miss Yechance are to keep their run going, they will have to overcome being posted widest of all in stall 14.

However, putting a positive slant on the draw, the jockey feels it could prove a blessing in disguise having had time to digest the make-up of Saturday’s all-star sprint affair.

“We didn’t get drawn great in 14, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles and we’ll try our best. She owes me nothing so I’m going to try to enjoy it,” continued Nicholls.

“Everyone knows the Americans are quicker out of the gates than the Europeans, so being in 14 will give us the option of slotting in as in a realistic world it’s going to be hard to make the running against the US horses, even if we had a good draw.

“If you had asked me when the draw was made I would have told you the world was ending, but now I’ve spoken to the boss and had a bit of time to think about it, it’s not that bad.”

Although the Nicholls family name is synonymous with sprinting success thanks to his father and grandfather, a secret weapon could prove his older sister, Mia.

A winner of 28 races as an apprentice on home soil, she has now switched continents and is forging a fledgling riding career in America, where she has become well versed with the workings of the Kentucky circuit.

Nicholls added: “I was out for dinner with Mia on Monday night and she’s been fairly helpful! She’s been out in Keeneland for six months or so now and knows all the tracks and the area so has been a big help.

“Mum and dad are coming over to watch at the weekend and I’m very excited about it. I’m trying to enjoy the experience of it all, there’s the best horses in the world all in the space of four barns around you and you can’t beat it.”