Meg Nicholls ‘bags a belter' for dad Paul in £280,000 spending spree as father-daughter duo smash the sales
MEG Nicholls helped dad Paul 'bag a beauty' as the father-daughter duo went on a huge £280,000 spending spree at the sales.
Sun Racing told you that legendary 14-time champion trainer Paul is enabling the help of Meg at the auctions this year.
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The pair hit up the Goffs Arkle sale in Ireland on Tuesday and got the cheque book out in style - snapping up three hugely promising sorts.
The pick of the bunch was a £130,000 gelding by champion jumps sire Walk In The Park, whose mum Lackaneen Leader was placed in a Grade 1.
Meg, who combines her role as an ITV pundit with sourcing top talent, said: "I'm absolutely delighted to get him.
"We got our three top picks, and thought we might have had to stretch a bit more for the Walk In The Park.
"Dad actually loved him from the moment he came out of his box.
"His eyes lit up really, the horse had that bit of class about him.
"He's really athletic, and we can't wait to get him back and get him going.
"We knew he would make this sort of money – he really is classy, he had that swagger about him, and he's by the right sire.
"We've been fighting hard against some big stables and as I have got older I've found it easier to work alongside Dad!
"To get some pretty smart horses at what we valued them at - I'm delighted. Now we need to find the right owners for them."
The pair also bought £78,000 L'Ami Pierrot, who is related to Nicky Henderson's former multiple Grade 1 winner L'Ami Serge.
Being by Nirvana Du Berlais, he also shares a sire with Lulamba, so expect him to be a speedy sort capable over hurdles.
The Nicholls also went to £75,000 for an unnamed gelding by Vadamos, whose progeny include Grade 3 winner The Other Mozzie and Grade 1-placed runners such as Matata and King Of Kingsfield.
Nicholls told Sun Racing he will continue to work with long-time sales ally Tom Malone.
But he thought it would be beneficial having another set of eyes helping him too, hence the decision to bring in Meg.
He said: "I've been hearing all sorts of rumours, Tom and I are good mates but there has never been any contract between us.
"He's a freelance and he buys plenty for me, so do several others.
"I'm going to work with everybody, but Megan is going to get quite a bit more involved for me.
"Results could have gone better over the last few years but that's the way things are, it's very hard buying these days.
"I'll keep all avenues open, but more so than ever I'd like to get Megan much more involved on that front."
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