As of 30 September 2026, the picture at Ditcheat has become clear. Johnny de la Hey has confirmed he is removing 11 horses from Paul Nicholls’ yard, ending an association that began 17 years ago. The move follows a strategic rethink by De la Hey and his wife Samantha, who want their team spread across several trainers rather than housed with one.
Full details of where the Johnny de la Hey horses are heading, including Grade 1 winner Pic d’Orhy, are now confirmed and set out below. Dan Skelton, Chris Gordon and Jamie Snowden are the three trainers taking on the string. Readers can revisit our original report on the Ditcheat departure for the statements both parties gave when the news broke.
Updated Status of De la Hey Stables
The partnership dates back 17 years and became one of jump racing’s most productive links between an owner and a trainer, with 652 runners in Britain producing 123 wins under Nicholls’ care. That record, a strike rate few owners can match, explains the warm tone both men struck when confirming the split.
De la Hey set out his reasoning in a statement:
Samantha and I would like to thank Paul, who has done a fantastic job training for us for the last 17 years. However, after a lot of thought, we have decided to make a change to our jump racing strategy by having our horses with several trainers. We wish Paul well and are looking forward to the new season.
Nicholls Split Ends 17-Year Partnership
Nicholls was equally gracious when he spoke to The Sun, admitting the news was hard to take after so much shared success. He struck a forward looking note about the strength of his remaining string.
It’s disappointing after all the success we have had together. We have a great team here and a lovely team of young horses to look forward to. I wish Johnny all the best.
Where Are Johnny de la Hey Horses Moving?
The bulk of the Johnny de la Hey horses, seven in total, join Dan Skelton’s yard. Among them is three-time Grade 1 winner Pic d’Orhy, arguably the highest profile departure from Ditcheat this year. Skelton’s growing string now gains real depth at the top end of the sport.
The remaining four horses are split between Chris Gordon and Jamie Snowden, giving De la Hey four separate training bases across his string rather than one. No further individual destinations have been confirmed beyond these three yards.
What Happens Next for Ditcheat and De la Hey
Nicholls faces separate change at Ditcheat regardless of the De la Hey departure, with Harry Cobden no longer his stable jockey next season after taking up a role with JP McManus. The timing means Nicholls enters the new campaign rebuilding both his string and his job list at the same time.
For De la Hey, the coming season will test whether four training bases produce sharper returns than one settled yard. Skelton, Gordon and Snowden each bring different strengths, from championship pedigree to smaller strings built on flexibility. How the arrangement performs will only become clear once the new jumps season gets under way.
Followers tracking the new season’s markets can still find our daily horse racing tips cheat sheet and today’s Lucky 15 horse racing selections, alongside our each-way racing analysis. Those services continue alongside our ongoing coverage of the reshuffle at Ditcheat.
