Why Paul Nicholls must secretly love people doubting him

Paul Nicholls has made a real habit of proving the doubters wrong. First he struggled to make the weight as a jockey but he still managed to win two consecutive Hennessy Gold Cups for David Barons in 1986 and 1987, weighing out at 10st 5lb when landing the first on Broadheath.

Then Nicholls took out his trainer's licence in 1991 and started out on his own with eight horses. It's not quite a rags-to-riches story but worth noting he did not simply inherit a major training operation; he built one.

Yet still people questioned him. In 2011, there were vociferous calls for Kauto Star to be retired but Nicholls knew the horse best and later that year he won a Betfair Chase and his fifth King George.