Archdale Shares “Amazing Support” From Bloodstock Community Following Cancer Diagnosis

[Wandering Eyes]

Bloodstock agent Nico Archdale has shared news of his brain cancer diagnosis and revealed that the outpouring of well-wishes from the racing and bloodstock communities have provided him with the necessary strength to meet what has been a frightful start to the new year with steely determination. 

Archdale is perhaps best known for his role working for Saudi Arabian-based Najd Stud. He was diagnosed with brain cancer in late January and has already undergone surgery to remove a tumor from his brain. 

The 32-year-old faces a gruelling stretch of Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy over the coming weeks and months. However, he is planning on completing a Hyrox fitness challenge by the end of this year and has set up a Just Giving page – in which all funds will go towards Macmillan Cancer Support – in order for people to track his progress. 

Archdale said, “It is not what I had planned for 2026 – it's all been a bit of a shock. I found out at the end of January and luckily I had an amazing support team of doctors who fast-tracked everything in order to give me the best possible chance. I am just trying to keep positive. I have a long journey ahead but hopefully I will get there.”

He added, “I have had a lot of messages and that has been amazing. Everyone has been very supportive. John Bourke, who did the Godolphin Flying Start with me, is one of my best friends and he has been brilliant. He flew over from Ireland and stayed with me for a few days. To be honest, everyone who did the course with me has reached out so the support has been amazing from them and a lot of other people within the industry. Also, Clodagh Kavanagh, the course director, has been very good as well. I have had so much support and it has been a massive help.”

The Hospital to Hyrox Challenge, as Archdale has labelled it, went live on Thursday and has already raised over £8,000 for the charity. 

Speaking about the reasons for setting up the Just Giving page, Archadale explained, “I set up a Just Giving page for a few different reasons. Number one, it was really just a page for my friends, so that they could follow my journey and see how I am. The other reason was to try and spread awareness and even reach out to other people who may be going through similar health issues and maybe help them. The big one is obviously the fundraising and trying to raise as much money as I possibly can for Macmillan Cancer Support. I guess it gives me a bit more strength and motivation to fulfill the challenge of a Hyrox towards the end of this year. Having something like that to aim for will hopefully provide me with the strength I need to beat cancer. There will be times over the next number of months when I am going through Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy where I am bound to struggle but I am determined to battle through and to do this.”

On the timeline of his recovery, he added, “I had my brain surgery four weeks ago today and that went as well as I could have hoped. I start Radiotherapy on Tuesday which is every day for six weeks. I have a break of a few weeks after that and then there are a few months of Chemotherapy. We'll have to take things step by step but hopefully things will be all good by then and they will monitor me very closely thereafter. Unfortunately, it's a very rare type of cancer and, if it comes back within the first year, it's not particularly good news for me. Like I said, I am trying to stay positive so hopefully it doesn't come back for 20 years.”

Archdale said that the imminent return of the Flat season has provided him with a welcome distraction and, beyond completing a Hyrox challenge later this year, he has set himself another target for 2027.

He concluded, “Unfortunately, I was meant to be in Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Cup earlier this month but I couldn't go. We [Najd Stud] had a runner [Ameerat Alzamaan] in the Saudi Cup and she finished 10th. I bought her as a yearling so it would have been pretty cool to be out there for that but the goal is to be there next year.”

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