Welcom To Cartries

The key to unlocking this horse has always been the ground. On slightly soft ground, he has won 2 of just 3 races — that is a two-in-three success rate, which is extraordinary in any sport. Most racehorses have no such obvious preference, so when a trainer can identify one this clearly, it becomes a genuine weapon. His first career win came at Ascot in December 2023, and Nicholls was immediately struck by what he was looking at. The trainer spoke afterwards about a horse that "gallops all day" and drew a flattering comparison with Stay Away Fay, one of his stable stars, noting that the real version of Welcom To Cartries would arrive once he was jumping fences rather than hurdles — bigger, stronger, fully grown into his frame.

That optimism has since been tested. A baffling run at Cheltenham last autumn left Nicholls openly scratching his head. The horse jumped poorly and was beaten well before the finish, with all the usual tests coming back clear. It was, as the trainer admitted, back to the drawing board. Recent form tells a mixed tale too — his last six runs read third, fell, first, sixth, second, fourth — which is the profile of a horse that shows up on its good days but can just as easily disappoint.

What keeps the faith alive is that most recent win, at Sandown Park in December 2025, just four months ago. Sandown is a track that rewards genuine stamina, and winning there matters. It is where Nicholls' bigger, tougher horses tend to thrive. Welcom To Cartries has competed mostly at Class 3 level — solid, competitive racing, a step below the very top — winning 2 of 6 races at that level, a rate of 1 in 3. His regular partner Harry Cobden has ridden him in 9 of his 11 races and won 2, roughly 1 in every 4 rides together. There is a working relationship there, and with the right ground underfoot, this combination can still spring a surprise.