Trainer Profile

Date of licence: 1996

First winner: Nibalda (Joe Casey) Leopardstown, March 8, 1998

Significant horses (selected): Joncol, Cuan Na Grai, Cloone River, Say Again, Mrs Milner, Defy Logic, Noble Prince, Dabiroun, Latest Exhibition, High Prospect, Colnel Rayburn, Accordion Etoile, Kill Devil Hill, French Accordian, Alpha Ridge, Torduff Boy, Sheer Frustration, Moskova, Panther Claw.  

Assoc. jockeys: Bryan Cooper

Did you know:

Paul enjoyed tremendous success throughout the 'noughties' becoming only the the second trainer to train three Galway hurdle winners, a remarkable feat he achieved in the space of just six years. He landed the most competitive handicap hurdle of the summer season with Say Again in 2002, with Cloone River in 2004 and with Cuan na Grai in 2006. In between, the Nina Carberry-ridden Dabiroun became his first Cheltenham Festival winner in 2005 when taking the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle. 

A second Cheltenham victory came Paul's way in 2011 when Noble Prince won the JLT Novices' Chase. Paul has won eight Grade 1 races in Ireland. His first top-flight winner was the John Cullen-ridden Say Again in the Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival in 2004. Paul won the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown in 2010 with Joncol, ridden by Alain Cawley and the Mark Walsh-ridden Defy Logic won the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown in December, 2013.

Leopardstown was again the venue of the stable's latest top-flight success. Latest Exhibition won the Nathaniel Lacy Solicitors Novice Hurdle under Bryan Cooper at the Dublin Racing Festival in February 2020 and lost out by only a neck when runner-up to Monkfish in the Albert Bartlett Novices´ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival the following month. Nolan had better luck at the Cheltenham Festival the following year when he won the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle with the Bryan Cooper-ridden Mrs Milner, his third Festival success.