Paul Nicholls equals Martin Pipe record with 3,930th British jumps winner

Paul Nicholls drew level with Martin Pipe's record of 3,930 British jumps winners on Saturday after Fasol won at Windsor. The success left the two trainers sharing the landmark total, according to Press Association reporting published by irishracing.com.

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Freddie Gingell rode Fasol to victory in the two-mile Cutler And Gross Handicap Hurdle, with the seven-year-old starting at 11-1. Racing TV's result records a winning margin of a short head over Watamu in the ten-runner contest. The Class 3 race was run on ground described as good, with good-to-soft patches, and Fasol completed it in three minutes and 45.1 seconds.

The race commentary charts Fasol's move from behind the leaders into second before the third-last hurdle. He challenged at the next and took the lead, then held on under pressure after the final obstacle. Watamu, ridden by Adam Wedge for Emma Lavelle, advanced from near the rear and stayed on to make the finish close. Favourite Zarakerjack finished third, three and a half lengths behind the runner-up.

Nicholls was at Cheltenham with owner Max McNeill when Fasol delivered the milestone, PA reported. He said the achievement belonged to the staff around him at Ditcheat and acknowledged the support of Paul Barber in establishing his career. Recent ground conditions had restricted his runners, adding to the wait after he moved within one victory of Pipe.

The trainer recalled arriving at Ditcheat in 1991 with eight horses. His subsequent winners have included Kauto Star, Denman and Big Buck's. In his comments to PA, Nicholls said his enthusiasm for racing remained undiminished and that he wanted to continue developing the horses in his stable.

Fasol was Nicholls's last runner of the day, The Guardian reported in its live coverage, so the victory left him level with Pipe rather than ahead. The same report listed Pourquoi Pas Papa in Sunday's 1.25 at Cheltenham as his only runner on that card, offering his next opportunity to take the record outright.