Change is in the offing in the Cotswolds, with Kim Bailey set to add long-time assistant Mat Nicholls to the training licence at Thorndale Farm.

Nicholls has been a key cog in Bailey’s operation for 16 years, with the the Gold Cup and Grand National-winning handler always intending to add his name to the licence once passing the career milestone of 1,500 winners.

That is something Bailey achieved when Chianti Classico scored at Ascot late last month and a new dawn for the Bailey-Nicholls partnership will soon begin, with Bailey looking ahead to the future with his trusted ally’s name beside his on the racecard.

Bailey said: “Mat’s worked for me for 16 years and I always said once I got to 1,500 winners I would put him on my licence. We actually hoped it would have happened a year ago but it’s took me longer to get to 1,500 winners.

“He’s got plenty of experience and has worked for Nigel (Twiston-Davies), Tom George and Carl Llewellyn and has been with me for a long time now.

“A younger person on the licence helps and it will be up to him to bring in new people (owners) as well, it’s very much his future and my future as well so it’s important we work well together.

“We get on very well. You’ll not see much difference other than another name on the licence as we don’t need to change anything. There seems to be a lot of red tape to cut through first (before it becomes official) and we hoped it would be ready by now, but it’s not.”