He is trained by Paul Nicholls at Ditcheat in Somerset, one of the most powerful yards in the country — 92 winners in the current season alone. Nicholls has been quite open about working out what Golden Son needs. After a run at Cheltenham, where the horse was possibly stretched by the trip, Nicholls noted that his jockey Olive Nicholls rode brilliantly but that three and a quarter miles was likely as far as he wants to go. The trainer's mind immediately turned to Aintree — a flat track, a slightly shorter trip, bigger fences — as the environment where Golden Son might really flourish.
What makes that assessment interesting is that his most recent win came at Newton Abbot just this week, keeping him bang in form and bang in the conversation. He has yet to win at Class 3 level — the step up in quality has found him out on all four attempts — but given his current momentum and a trainer who clearly has a plan for him, it would be unwise to write off those ambitions just yet. The Aintree target feels less like wishful thinking and more like a trainer who knows exactly what his horse is.
One curious note: his most regular partner, Harry Cobden, has yet to win on him in 9 rides together. That is 0 from 9. Whether that is coincidence, or whether a change in the saddle has been part of unlocking this recent run of form, is worth watching as the season develops.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newbury Galloping |
3 | 1 third, 2 other | 22 Mar | 0% |
| Warwick Sharp |
2 | 1 win, 1 second | 23 Jan | 50% |
| Kempton Park Galloping |
2 | 1 third, 1 other | 22 Feb | 0% |
| Sandown Park Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 27 Apr | 0% |
| Aintree Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 9 Apr | 0% |
| Newton Abbot Sharp |
1 | 1 win | 13 May | 100% |
| Taunton Undulating |
1 | 1 win | 12 Feb | 100% |
| Cheltenham Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 13 Mar | 0% |