Financial pressure forces Grade 1 winner Nick Mitchell to quit training

Grade 1-winning trainer Nick Mitchell is to relinquish his licence at the end of the season.

Mitchell, who tasted top-level success when The Listener won the 2009 JNWine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal, worked for both Paul Nicholls and Robert Alner before starting up his own operation in 2008.

"Our margins are very tight," Mitchell explained on Monday. "We've had a virus in the yard all season which has decimated us and we've had no shop window to do anything. It's well documented that this is a tricky old business.

The Listener: en route to Grade 1 glory at Down RoyalCredit: Caroline Norris

"Added to that, I dislocated my hip in 1999 and I've had four procedures on it but I've been pushing it too much. My consultant has said that I've got to stop, meaning I'd have to employ somebody else to ride out and the like. It doesn't make viable business sense any more and we had to be pragmatic and realistic – the time has come to do something else.

"I'm walking away with reluctance but factors have conspired against us."

November 7, 2009, was something of a defining day for Mitchell, who within the space of an hour won the two biggest prizes of his career.

At 2.30, The Listener romped to a 15-length victory at Down Royal, before 55 minutes later Ellerslie George won the Badger Ales Trophy at Wincanton.

Recalling that memorable day, Mitchell said: "It was almost unheard of. We had six horses in training and we won the first Grade 1 of the season at Down Royal and minutes later we won the Badger Ales at Wincanton.

"We won the biggest race in Ireland and England on the same day. It was something dreams are made of, and I'm very proud of it."

Mitchell, who said he is hoping to stay in racing, added: "I've still got commitments to my existing owners and horses until the end of the season. It will be all winding down until that point, during which I'll be looking at other potential avenues."

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