PAUL NICHOLLS’ GRADED-PLACED HUGOS NEW HORSE JOINING MATT SHEPPARD
Jun 26, 2025
Thursday 26th June 2025 – Paul Nicholls’ smart Hugos New Horse was the top lot at ThoroughBid’s June Sale, selling to Gordon Miller to be trained by Matt Sheppard for £22,000 and contributing to a 65% clearance rate.
The talented eight-year-old showed plenty when with the fourteen-times Champion Trainer, winning no less than seven times, and now is set for the pointing scene with plenty of potential in this new arena.
Speaking to ThoroughBid, Miller said: “We’re excited to have picked up Hugos New Horse. I’ve bought him to ride in point-to-points and to be trained by Matt Sheppard, and he seemed like a nice type for this sphere after doing an awful lot of winning Under Rules. He’s shown recently that he’s in good form, and after a summer break, we’re looking forward to getting him into the pointing fields.”
The sale’s second top lot was Rodeo, a promising bumper second consigned by Tom George, and the No Risk At All gelding will now join Donald McCain’s Cheshire operation after being purchased for £20,000.
Speaking with ThoroughBid, McCain said: “He’s a nicely bred horse and I thought he ran a nice race at Market Rasen. I thought he looked like good value and I’d imagine we’ll be thinking about getting him ready for starting over hurdles in the late autumn. Racecourse form is racecourse form, and you know, we all buy lots of point-to-pointers, but racecourse form is there for all to see, and he’s got that.
“He’s by a great sire in No Risk At All, I know he’ll have been done right at Tom’s (George) and we’ll see how we get on. Using ThoroughBid was very, very straightforward and simple, and the whole sale was dealt with really well.”
Elsewhere in the sale, Willie Mullins’ Femme Magnifique went to £10,000 for Cian Quirke, while Paul Nicholls’ other entrant, Onethreefivenotout joined James Power for £7,000. The sale also achieved a solid 65% clearance rate and once again attracted some of the biggest names in the game to racing’s online auction house.
Speaking on another successful sale, ThoroughBid CEO James Richardson commented: “We’re delighted with the results from the June Sale. It’s fantastic to see the likes of Willie Mullins, Paul Nicholls and Tom George all consigning horses, all of which look like they’re going to have exciting futures for their new connections.
“Hugos New Horse showed plenty of talent for Paul Nicholls and is set for a new career with Matt Sheppard, so we’ll keep a close eye on him. Rodeo is another to make good money through ThoroughBid for Tom George, and he looks a promising novice hurdle prospect for Donald McCain later this year.
“The clearance rate of 65% is very strong once again, and we look forward to building up to our July Sale which takes place at the end of next month.”
ThoroughBid’s July Sale entries are now open, and bidding will begin on 31st July at 9am: https://thoroughbid.co.uk/login?p=enter-horse