The daughter of trainer Paul Nicholls was rushed to hospital on Monday after a fall at the races. Olive Nicholls, 20, is the younger sister of ITV Racing pundit Megan Nicholls whose father is the 14-time British champion jumps trainer.
The amateur rider has ridden 23 winners and recorded her latest success, her sixth of the season, at Warwick on Friday aboard Golden Sun, trained by her Dad.
On Monday she had one ride at Hereford on another of her father’s horses, Quel Destin in the Jumprite Open Hunters’ Chase over 2m5f. The 100-30 chance, returning from a year’s absence, went off in the lead but had lost his position when he unseated his rider at the third last fence.
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Among the posts from concerned fans, one said: “Hope Olive Nicholls isn’t too badly hurt, didn’t look a good fall.” Another said: “Thinking of Olive Nicholls.”
The Amateur Jockeys’ Association account said: “All thoughts with our trible champion NH Lady Runner-up Olive Nicholls after sustaining injury at Hereford. Get well and mend soon Olive.”
Former jockey Mick FitzGerald, who was reporting for Sky Sports Racing, said: “Olive Nicholls, who was unseated from Quel Destin, she’s suffered a pelvic injury.
“She’s conscious and they’re quite keen to get her attention straight away so I think they are trying to get her to Hereford Hospital as soon as possible. Because of that we have a delay trying to clear the track.
“The race is supposed to start at 4.30. Sunset is 4.47 and as you can see around me the cameras do a brilliant job of making it look lighter than it is. It is getting dark here.
“The horses are saddled waiting to go. The jockeys haven’t left the weighing room yet so we are a little bit in limbo.”
After Olive was moved carefully from the track, the final race was run and went off in near-darkness, 11 minutes later than scheduled.
"Olive Nicholls was transported to Hereford Hospital by road ambulance," clerk of the course Molly King said. "She was conscious and is being assessed for a pelvic injury."
Quel Destin, a Grade One scorer in his juvenile hurdling days, had just lost the lead to Stattler when he landed steeply at the third last obstacle.
He ran loose and fell at the next fence, bringing down the Josh Newman-ridden and trained Important Notice.
King confirmed that the horses had returned to the stables after the 2m5f contest, which was claimed by the rallying Snipe who passed reappearing 2022 National Hunt Chase hero Stattler on the run-in.
It was a first career success under Rules, at the third attempt, for teenage jockey Dominic Lewis.
Hours before the Hereford incident, Nicholls had outlined plans for Viroflay, her leading horse of the season so far.
The £150,000 Ladbrokes Trophy on February 21 was named as the next target for the Kempton Park specialist, followed by a possible trip to Aintree's Grand National meeting in April.
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