A little about me... Hi, I'm Holly Nicholson - granddaughter to David "The Duke" Nicholson. As the story goes I was thrown on to a throughbred at only a few days old and although I never went down the training route - I rode out during school and have been involved in the stud industry for over half a decade. I loved retraining my own Cheltenham Festival winner and provide physiotherapy alongside my stud work where necessary for youngstock, spellers and broodmares.

Heros is therefore a charity very close to my heart. The work they do with not only retraining but the help they provide to SEN and neurodivergent students utilising these fantastic thoroughbreds is incredible.

At the end of last year I started on my fitness journey in order to be less of a burden to my old boy Oh Crick whom I sadly lost in September. I wanted to find a way to make this journey honour both him, my own progress and my love for these thoroughbreds and their versatility. So when the amateur jockey association posted about the Newbury Charity I applied thinking I wouldn't get in and yet here I am. I am so grateful for this opportunity and can't wait for June.

Good luck everyone competing!!