ITV Racing's rising star Megan Nicholls owes success to hard work, 'not those around me'
The daughter of 14-time champion jumps trainer Paul Nicholls and boyfried of top jockey Kevin Stott is making a name for herself in her own right as a pundit on ITV Racing
She is the daughter of a multiple champion trainer and the partner and agent of one of the standout jockeys of this season, but Megan Nicholls has leaned on neither figure on her way to becoming the rising star of ITV Racing.
The former jockey turned TV pundit, jockeys’ agent, occasional bloodstock agent and now ambassador to new betting brand BetMGM is proving a jill of all trades.
Dad Paul Nicholls, the 14-time champion jumps trainer, is a renowned communicator but his daughter says her attributes are more the result of her own hard work, less her connection to her famous father.
“I have the right to say that I have done a good enough job myself,” says the 26-year-old. “I have to give Dad a lot of credit for the opportunities he has given me within racing.
“However he has very much been a father and a mentor and when it comes to my Flat racing and media, he is a horse trainer with 24/7 commitments. I feel like I have got on my own two feet and done my own thing.
“I very much hope that I have proven that I have got opportunities through my own hard work, not because of those around me.”
Since retiring from the saddle having ridden 117 winners on the Flat, Nicholls has seamlessly crossed over to the media, working for Racing TV and now, with increasing regularity, on ITV where she is its youngest on air talent.
She also books the rides of Kevin Stott, her boyfriend, and Callum Rodriguez, but TV is where she hopes to develop her second career.
“I rode some great winners, at Glorious Goodwood and Aintree, but I got to a certain level and felt I had hit my ceiling,” she says. “Like my Dad I wanted to strive to do better.
“I did a couple of days for RacingTV and as those increased I got an Opening Show opportunity with ITV in January 2021. I loved it.
“It’s been amazing to add more weekends and bigger meetings to my television media profile since I made the decision to stop riding just over a year ago.”
For a significant part of the summer she and Stott were front and centre of one of the stories of the Flat season.
As first jockey to ambitious Amo Racing, Stott delivered Kia Joorabchian’s team breakthrough successes at Royal Ascot and Group 1 level.
But the link was abruptly broken the day after Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown where Stott was criticised for his riding of star colt King Of Steel in the Irish Champions Stakes, and they went their separate ways.
“At the end of the day the opportunities that came and the horses Kevin was able to ride were quite incredible,” she says.
“A Derby second, Royal Ascot and Group 1 winners helped his profile massively. It’s a job I am sure he will forever be thankful for.
“They have wished us the very best and we’ve wished them all the luck in the world as well. I am sure both parties will carry on having their own success.”
Megan Nicholls is the new horse racing ambassador ofBetMGM, the new sports betting and online casino brand bringing a new golden era of gambling to the UK. BetMGM is committed to responsible gambling.18+ begambleaware
