Paul Nicholls Condemns 'Shambolic' Cheltenham Starts as BHA Announces Review
Paul Nicholls, the 14-time champion jumps trainer, has launched a scathing attack on the 'shambolic' false starts that have plagued the Cheltenham Festival, claiming that 'nobody seems to listen' to the concerns of top racing professionals. His comments come as the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) confirmed it will conduct a full review into starting procedures at the prestigious event.
Ongoing Issues Despite Pre-Festival Reforms
A thorough BHA review ahead of this year's fixture was intended to prevent a repeat of the problems that caused multiple false starts at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. However, issues have persisted, with stewards forced to issue bans to jockeys for misconduct at the start. The most contentious incident occurred during the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle on Wednesday, where Irish amateur rider Declan Queally and professional jockey Nico de Boinville engaged in a heated exchange while jostling for position before the tapes went up.
This altercation, which led to Queally alleging he was the victim of abuse of a 'racial nature', is now under a separate stewards investigation. Caught in the chaos was Nicholls-trained horse No Drama This End, the favourite and his stable's top hope for the week, which was pulled up after missing the break from a standing start.
Nicholls Voices Frustration Over 'Embarrassing' Starts
Betfair ambassador Paul Nicholls expressed his dismay, stating: 'Some of the starts at Cheltenham have been embarrassing this week but nobody seems to listen and the opinions of top racing professionals fall on deaf ears.' He added that No Drama This End was 'always on the back foot' due to the poor start, leading to traffic problems and an uncompetitive race, forcing them to 'put a line through the race and move on.'
Nicholls emphasised: 'Going back to some of the starts at the Festival this week, though, they have been shambolic.' His criticism highlights a growing frustration among trainers and jockeys over the reliability of starts at one of horse racing's premier events.
BHA Commits to Comprehensive Review
In response, the BHA announced it will launch a full review specific to the Cheltenham Festival, acknowledging that 'more needs to be done' despite previous efforts. The regulator had collaborated with the Professional Jockeys’ Association and Jockey Club since last year to implement improvements, including measured alterations to some starting locations and work with jockeys to ensure rules were understood.
A BHA statement noted: 'Following events this year it is clear that more needs to be done. As such the BHA has committed to launch a full review of the starts at the Cheltenham Festival.' It pointed out that away from the Festival, starting procedures are working well, with only about three in every 100 jump starts resulting in a false start.
Scope of the Review and Immediate Actions
The review will examine multiple factors, including:
- The configuration of the course at Cheltenham.
- Perspectives of riders from different jurisdictions and licence types.
- The process of starting races, including preliminaries and technology.
- Penalties and deterrents for rule breaches.
- Other unique challenges specific to the Festival.
Brant Dunshea, Chief Executive of the BHA, commented: 'It has been a tremendous two days of racing so far at the Festival, but we share the frustrations of jockeys, trainers and punters regarding the starts.' He affirmed faith in the starters, many of whom are former jockeys, but acknowledged that 'several factors unique to Cheltenham' make starting races extremely challenging.
Dunshea added: 'We will therefore carry out this review ahead of the next Festival. In the meantime, we will continue to speak to the riders competing this year to see what steps can be taken to improve the starts for the remaining two days.' This ongoing dialogue aims to address immediate concerns while the broader review seeks long-term solutions to ensure smoother and fairer starts at future Cheltenham Festivals.
