Paul Nolan Slams Anti-Racing Critics: "Where Will It End

Published on April 1st, 2026

Ahead of the BOYLE Sports Irish Grand National on Monday, County Wexford trainer Paul Nolan has spoken about his goals and what it's like to be competing with "Super Yards", speaks out against critics of the sport and pleads that everyone needs to collectively work together for the sports future.

Nolan has also given his perspective on some of racings biggest characters, calling billionaire owner JP McManus is one of Ireland’s “greatest ever human beings”, describes Gordon Elliott as a good friend and declares that recent spat between Nico de Boinville and Declan Queally was a "storm in a teacup".

Elsewhere, he reveals the one horse he'd love to have in his yard as well as his tip for the BOYLE Sports Irish Grand National.

Our Goals

We aim to try and finish in the top 10 every year. We're probably going to struggle this year now, bringing the 11 horses to Cheltenham , and with the horses going to Doncaster . That's going to put finishing in the top 10 under pressure. You're always trying to hope to God that you can get in more horses. You're always striving to get more numbers in.

Competing With "Super Yards"

It’s not easy, but good luck to them. You can't penalise success. Willie [Mullins] started off the same as anyone. Gordon [Elliott] started off with nothing; his father had a garage up in County Meath, and Gordon built up his own place. Henry [De Bromhead] inherited the place from his father, but he’s taken it to a different level. We all start off with the same chance, and it's up to yourself to try and better yourself every year. I’d never point a finger or say, ‘Poor me.’ You just try and up your game and try and get up there with them.

I wouldn’t change it for anything. You always hope for the future to try and look after what we have and try and better ourselves and better the yard and better the facilities. And just hope to God that the racing continues, and we try to overcome the people that don't want the sport to continue. We all have to stay together and work as a unit going forward to protect racing. We shouldn’t even have to discuss protecting such a brilliant sport. The animals are treated brilliantly. I think it's terrible that people are speaking out against our sport.

The Future

Would these people want to be educated about it? Everyone deserves to have an opinion, but there's certain opinions people have that you couldn't take on board because they just don't make any sense.

I couldn't even think of what would happen without the sport or without the community. If we start doing things like that, where will it all end? Will there be any rugby, hurling or football, or will there be any contact sport? Where will it end?

What I'd Change

In our industry, everybody should be there to help us go forward collectively. There have to be rules, cheats have to be dealt with, and all like that, but moving forward, we should be there to help people, not to inconvenience or make life hard because it's already hard enough.

JP McManus

You have to put him down as one of Ireland's greatest human beings as regards to what he does for everything, for scholarships, for hospitals, for sport in general. There’ll never be another like him.

Gordon Elliott

I'd be very good pals with Gordon Elliott. Gordon wouldn't have had a square foot of ground when he started. He’s built up a fantastic place from starting off with nothing. Most of us were lucky; we were either ex-farmers or we had a bit of land to gallop on. Gordon didn’t.

The success that he's had is phenomenal. I actually appreciate everyone in the game because I know how tough it is myself. Training is certainly not easy. Dealing with the lows as the hardest part of it. It’s such a game of highs and lows. There’s not much middle ground. It's a game where you have to dust yourself off after the lows and staying going.

"Storm In A Teacup" De Boinville v Queally

I think it's ridiculous. I think there's a decent relationship between the jockeys. I don't think it matters where they're from. They're out there to do their best on the horse that they're riding, and I don't think that they're too worried about anything else, really. They're going off to get the best start and get the best position for their horse.

I don't think it's a matter of bullying. It’s just that some jockeys don't make as many mistakes as others, and that separates the top-class lads from the next level and the next level.

The Horse I'd Love To Have

Nicky Henderson's horse that won the Supreme , Old Park Star . He just looks to be very good. I also thought it was a brilliant performance from Gaelic Warrior in the Gold Cup. When he gets into a rhythm and jumps like that, he's very hard to beat.

Fact to File would possibly be his main rival as regards to that. I thought that the John Durkan at Christmas was one of the best races I've ever seen. When you think of who fought out first and second in that race, and how far they distanced themselves from the proper Grade One horses behind them. They totally just took over the race, and it was a ding-dong battle.