Adrian Nicholls is in no rush to pin down future plans for Tees Spirit after his emotional success at Epsom on Derby Day.
Exactly five years after the death of his father Dandy, the North Yorkshire-based trainer was moved to tears after the landing of the Simpex Express ‘Dash’ Handicap – a race ‘sprint king’ Dandy Nicholls won five times.
Tees Spirit has reportedly taken his efforts in stride and how the handicapper reacts to his win will affect where he goes.
Nicholls said: “He was in the paddock this morning, he was eaten and he bucks and kicks, so all is well.
“Obviously it was an emotional day as it was the anniversary of my father’s loss. He was on my mind anyway, but it doesn’t get any bigger than Derby Day and it was a great performance from the horse.
“We are a very small team and it was great to get such a winner.”
Tees Spirit is now unbeaten in three starts this season and Nicholls is delighted with the progress he has made as a four-year-old.
He added: “I’d love to say I’ve done this and I’ve done that, but I haven’t – it just seems fresh and it’s really improved.
“I don’t know what the handicapper will think of his improvement, but we’ll see. Whatever he (the handicapper) does, it’s going to kind of make plans about where he’s going, I think.
“Whatever he does without being blase, it doesn’t bother me too much because he’s won the Dash now and they don’t come around very often.
“I’d look at the Stewards’ Cup. Six furlongs at Goodwood is the easiest six you’ll probably get, so if he went with a different handicap that would be one I should look into. There’s also the Rockingham in Ireland (near the Curragh).
“Like I said, what he’s doing now is really just a bonus.”
