British racing mourns passing of ‘The Duke’

MARTIN PIPE yesterday joined a growing list of leading figures within the British racing industry to pay tribute to old rival David Nicholson following the sad death of the former champion trainer at the age of 67.

Pipe won the National Hunt trainers’ championship no fewer than 15 times between the 1988/9 and 2004/5 seasons – a period in which his domination was only interrupted when Nicholson stole the crown in the 1993/4 and 1994/5 campaigns.

Pipe fondly recalls his past experiences with ‘The Duke’ and knows he will be sorely missed.