NICKY Martin has got the 2025-26 racing season off to a flying start with two winners from the two runners she has had to date.

“It’s all down hill from here” joked Nicky who trains 1200 feet above sea level at Withypool high on Exmoor.

“My horses were sick last year which everybody knows about because I jacked it in in February and turned the whole lot out into the field.

“Since then we have cleaned and disinfected everything and they have now come in and are fit and healthy as they should be. We have got a nice group of 10 horses in the yard so hopefully I have got quality rather than quantity.”

“All the horses are mine and racing is an expensive business. You don’t make any money because the prize money is so poor.”

Nicky has held a full trainers licence for eight years before which she trained point to pointers.

“I had all the of the facilities here and pre trained horses, then sent them to Nicky Henderson, David Pipe, Philip Hobbs and Ben Pauling. I then came to the conclusion that I may just as well do it myself, which is when I took out my licence.”

When are Nicky’s next runners going to be? “I would think in about 10 days to two weeks - ‘Apples Moon’, providing the ground stays good for her and ‘Ito Ditto’ is ready to go. Then the first winner ‘Got a Dream’ will go out again so there is plenty to look forward to.”

Finally Nicky paid tribute to the team who have helped her to achieve what she has. “I have got a great team of staff who have really helped me through a difficult time - they have been amazing - and two of them Gemma and Darren McAlinden got married recently where the Welsh Grand National winner ‘The Two Amigos’ was their special guest!”