Merrigan To Nicholls

[Irish Stamp]

From the RP.


Merrigan sets target after switch to Nicholls


by Lee Mottershead (May 14)
PADDY MERRIGAN on Saturday set himself the target of being this season’s champion conditional jockey after the young rider received a major seal of approval by being taken on by Paul Nicholls.

Merrigan, who was in the headlines at the end of last year after losing his job with Heather Dalton, has rapidly rebuilt both his career and his reputation, and he will now have the backing of the champion trainer in his bid to reach the top of the conditional ranks.

“I would love to win the conditionals’ championship,” said the 19-year-old, who has moved to Nicholls from Pat Haslam.

“I managed to finish third in last season’s championship, despite having missed 14 weeks through injury and suspension, but winning it this season is definitely the aim.

“I had a chat with Mr Haslam and my agent Dave Roberts recently, and we decided that if I was goingto climb the ladder I needed to get into a big stable and work hard.

"Luckily, Mr Nicholls has given me a great opportunity by taking on my licence, which he did last week. I will be based down in Ditcheat from the autumn, and I can’t wait.”

Merrigan, who rode out for Nicholls last season and partnered a winner for the trainer on the quirky Give Me Love at Chepstow, added: “I got unseated from my first two rides for Mr Nicholls, so it’s really good of him to keep faith in me, as a lot of people would not have. It will be great to be working for him, and although there are a lot of jockeys at his yard, there are also lots of horses to ride.”

Commenting on Merrigan’s appointment, Nicholls said: “Paddy is a good schooling jockey and this will be agood place for him. We’ve told him to work hard and keep his head down. Paddy knows that Liam Heard is our first-choice conditional and that he will have to play second fiddle to him.”


Is this his fourth stable attachment now? Wasn't he with Wintle before he moved to Pat Haslam's. Hope he has turned it around but Nicholls has a few good jockeys riding for him - such as Liam Heard who still has his claim I think.

[rorydelargy]

How exactly has Paddy Merrigan turned himself around? I suppose he hasn't accidentally shot anyone in the head for at least six months, so that has to be a good thing

[krizon]

Still plenty of time left - he's still only a conditional!

[rorydelargy]

From The Sporting Life site:

Leading conditional jockey Paddy Merrigan has "effectively left" Peter Bowen's yard in Pembrokeshire.

Merrigan has ridden 21 winners this season after linking up with Bowen this summer.

However, the 21-year-old did not ride Special Envoy in the Long Walk Hurdle on December 22, while Tom O'Brien partnered Souffleur to victory in Saturday's Challow Hurdle at Newbury.

"We have not seen Paddy since last Saturday but we don't want to give him any bad publicity," Helen Bowen, wife of the Haverfordwest-based handler, told the Racing Post.

"However, I suppose he has effectively left the yard.

"There has been no falling-out with him but he is not with us any more."

Edit: it appears Mr Merrigan has had a hissy fit and walked out on Peter Bowen after being jocked off Special Envoy in the Long Walk. Btw, who the hell is Helen Bowen anyway??

[Irish Stamp]

"we don't want to give him any bad publicity," when I read that I usually think what they really mean is "he's left, use your imagination".