By . Marcus Townend for MailOnline . The name of the five-year-old gelding peering from the box in what was once known as Millionaire’s Row is highly appropriate — Emerging Talent. The winner of a National Hunt Flat race at Naas is a symbol of change at the Somerset stable of champion Jumps trainer Paul Nicholls. Where once stood 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Denman, 2012 Grand National winner Neptune Collonges, dual champion chaser Master Minded and the daddy of them all, dual Gold Cup hero and five-time King George VI Chase winner Kauto Star, there are now only plaques listing their achievements. Optimistic: Trainer Paul Nicholls at his Somerset stables . Last to retirement last season was four-time World Hurdle winner Big Buck’s and Tidal Bay, a relative newcomer to the Ditcheat operation, but one who quickly became part of the furniture. Their departures finally bolted the door on a golden era. Where once stood achievement, there is now aspiration, hope and promise. When Nicholls welcomes 350 guests to his private owners’ day this morning, there will see around 50 new horses – close to a third of the stable for the forthcoming new season. Leading the team may be 2013 King George winner Silviniaco Conti, who could make an earlier than expected return to action in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on November 1. But the focus will be on fresh stock like French imports Le Mercurey and three-year-old Ibis Du Rheu, half-brother to stablemate Saphir Du Rheu who will go novice chasing after winning four hurdle race last year culminating in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. It will not only be fresh equine talent on show. After Daryl Jacob’s brief tenure as main rider to the stable, new stable jockey for the 2014-15 season is Sam Twiston-Davies with Nick Scholfield as his understudy. Number one: Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies will be Nicholls' main rider in the 2014-15 season . With the surprise announcement that Nicholls’ nephew and conditional jockey Harry Derham is quitting riding, there will be also be more chances for fellow conditional Jack Sherwood, son former jockey and trainer Simon Sherwood, plus Sean Bowen, son of welsh trainer Peter Bowen, who is about to join stable. A new set of priorities are driving Nicholls, who unexpectedly wrestled back his champion trainer’s title from great rival Nicky Henderson last season to become champion jumps trainer for an eighth time. Nicholls said: ‘It is now all about the future. I am not starting this season trying to win the champion. ‘I have been lucky and won it eight times but that means it is almost like numbers now. I don’t have to be champion to be where I want to be. ‘I enjoy bringing the young horses so much – I am not going to lose sleep if I don’t win the title. ‘We have had the biggest clear-out as we have ever had. Over 50 horses have been sold or moved on. ‘Neptune Collonges, Denman, Big Buck’s, Master Minded, Kauto Star- you can go on and on. It was a golden era - amazing. Back-up: Nick Scholfield will provide support for Twiston-Davies . ‘We will probably never replace them. In fact, I don’t think we’ll ever see so many good horses in one yard at one time again. It is like starting again and it is exciting.’ Nicholls uses the same words when talking about 21-year-old Twiston-Davies. Jacob never seemed at ease last year as the stable’s top jockey as he tried to replace long-time Nicholls ally Ruby Walsh. Nicholls was forced to move when it seemed Twiston-Davies, who will still ride father Nigel’s Champion Hurdle hope The New One, was about to be lured out of his reach by a rival job offer. Nicholls, who often uses his owner and ex-Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson as a sounding board, added: ‘It was all forced on us probably a year before we thought it might happen but Fergie always says you wouldn’t want to let a top striker sign up for an opposing team and regret it for the rest of your life. ‘I like Sam a lot. He is positive. He is nowhere near the finished article. You should remember what Ruby was like at the same age and how must better he got – the same with McCoy. ‘Sam will be under a bit of pressure and need time to bed in but I am not worried about that – we will deal with it.’ Buy the Paul Nicholls Owners Day brochure (£15 inc p&p) at paulnichollsracing.com (all proceeds to charity)
Sam Twiston-Davies will be Nicholls' main rider for 2014-15 with Nick Scholfield as his understudy .
Horses such as Big Buck's, Tiday Bay and Kauto Star have retired .
Nicholls said: 'It is now all about the future. I am not starting this season aiming to win the champion'
By . Marcus Townend for MailOnline . The name of the five-year-old gelding peering from the box in what was once known as Millionaire’s Row is highly appropriate — Emerging Talent. The winner of a National Hunt Flat race at Naas is a symbol of change at the Somerset stable of champion Jumps trainer Paul Nicholls. Where once stood 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Denman, 2012 Grand National winner Neptune Collonges, dual champion chaser Master Minded and the daddy of them all, dual Gold Cup hero and five-time King George VI Chase winner Kauto Star, there are now only plaques listing their achievements. Optimistic: Trainer Paul Nicholls at his Somerset stables . Last to retirement last season was four-time World Hurdle winner Big Buck’s and Tidal Bay, a relative newcomer to the Ditcheat operation, but one who quickly became part of the furniture. Their departures finally bolted the door on a golden era. Where once stood achievement, there is now aspiration, hope and promise. When Nicholls welcomes 350 guests to his private owners’ day this morning, there will see around 50 new horses – close to a third of the stable for the forthcoming new season. Leading the team may be 2013 King George winner Silviniaco Conti, who could make an earlier than expected return to action in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on November 1. But the focus will be on fresh stock like French imports Le Mercurey and three-year-old Ibis Du Rheu, half-brother to stablemate Saphir Du Rheu who will go novice chasing after winning four hurdle race last year culminating in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. It will not only be fresh equine talent on show. After Daryl Jacob’s brief tenure as main rider to the stable, new stable jockey for the 2014-15 season is Sam Twiston-Davies with Nick Scholfield as his understudy. Number one: Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies will be Nicholls' main rider in the 2014-15 season . With the surprise announcement that Nicholls’ nephew and conditional jockey Harry Derham is quitting riding, there will be also be more chances for fellow conditional Jack Sherwood, son former jockey and trainer Simon Sherwood, plus Sean Bowen, son of welsh trainer Peter Bowen, who is about to join stable. A new set of priorities are driving Nicholls, who unexpectedly wrestled back his champion trainer’s title from great rival Nicky Henderson last season to become champion jumps trainer for an eighth time. Nicholls said: ‘It is now all about the future. I am not starting this season trying to win the champion. ‘I have been lucky and won it eight times but that means it is almost like numbers now. I don’t have to be champion to be where I want to be. ‘I enjoy bringing the young horses so much – I am not going to lose sleep if I don’t win the title. ‘We have had the biggest clear-out as we have ever had. Over 50 horses have been sold or moved on. ‘Neptune Collonges, Denman, Big Buck’s, Master Minded, Kauto Star- you can go on and on. It was a golden era - amazing. Back-up: Nick Scholfield will provide support for Twiston-Davies . ‘We will probably never replace them. In fact, I don’t think we’ll ever see so many good horses in one yard at one time again. It is like starting again and it is exciting.’ Nicholls uses the same words when talking about 21-year-old Twiston-Davies. Jacob never seemed at ease last year as the stable’s top jockey as he tried to replace long-time Nicholls ally Ruby Walsh. Nicholls was forced to move when it seemed Twiston-Davies, who will still ride father Nigel’s Champion Hurdle hope The New One, was about to be lured out of his reach by a rival job offer. Nicholls, who often uses his owner and ex-Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson as a sounding board, added: ‘It was all forced on us probably a year before we thought it might happen but Fergie always says you wouldn’t want to let a top striker sign up for an opposing team and regret it for the rest of your life. ‘I like Sam a lot. He is positive. He is nowhere near the finished article. You should remember what Ruby was like at the same age and how must better he got – the same with McCoy. ‘Sam will be under a bit of pressure and need time to bed in but I am not worried about that – we will deal with it.’ Buy the Paul Nicholls Owners Day brochure (£15 inc p&p) at paulnichollsracing.com (all proceeds to charity)
2014-15 season is Sam Twiston-Davies with Nick Scholfield as his understudy. Number one: Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies will be Nicholls' main rider ‘It is now all about the future. I am not starting this season trying to win the champion.