No Drama for Nicholls hotpot in Challow Hurdle

No Drama This End lived up to his increasingly lofty reputation with a straightforward victory in the Coral Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.

The Paul Nicholls-trained grey went off the 4-9 favourite under Harry Cobden as he came into the Grade One with a unblemished record of two runs over hurdles and two smart Grade Two wins.

He ran prominently throughout and was still firmly on the bridle at the business end of the contest, with victory easily claimed from then on as he defeated Klimt Madrik by a length and a quarter.

The exciting five-year-old was made 7-2 for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival by BetVictor and the Ditcheat handler suggested that was his most likely next start after confirming he will head straight to Prestbury Park in March.

Nicholls said: “He’s learned a lot doing that from the front and not the other way and I said to Harry ride him like the best horse in the race and it was fantastic.

“He’s a real character all right and he’s beginning to wake up and realise what a big lad he is. Seeing him in the parade ring, he was as sharp as I’ve seen him for a long time and I just love the way Harry gave him one little slap after the last and he just took off.

“He’s obviously very special and to back it up after three weeks and then another three weeks has not been ideal so it hasn’t been easy to get him ready for today, there was one time last week we weren’t going to run today and go Cheltenham on Trials Day instead.”

He went on: “He just came right this week and I wanted to give him a nice bit of time off between now and the Cheltenham Festival so it has worked out beautiful and we’ll go straight there now.

“We’ll cover all options and he’ll get entries in both the Turners and the Albert Bartlett and I would say he’s just shown there how effective he is on good ground and how effective he is over the intermediate trip.

“I would say that would be his last run over hurdles and God willing if all goes to plan he’ll go chasing, jumping fences is his job and we always say what he achieves over hurdles is a bonus and with him it’s true.”

Nicholls has already mentioned one of his former Challow winners, the imperious Gold Cup winner Denman, post No Drama This End’s previous victories and he once again was drawn into a comparison of his latest starlet and some blockbuster names of old.

He added: “You can ask me how he compares to my other Challow winners and the likes of Bravemansgame, Denman and all those, he compares favourably with all of them. If you think three runs over hurdles and he’s won two Grade Twos and a Grade One and none of them achieved that.

“I’m not saying he’s Denman right now but in 10 years time he might. What I’ve said before is if I had one that could be Denman in time if we’re lucky, then he could be and right now he’s ticking plenty of boxes. He’s exciting, very exciting.

“When I had all the good ones years ago, one of them would win every Saturday so it didn’t matter how bad the rest were, they cover you and it’s all about having good players like this on your team.

“I think I can get him better than this and the preparation wasn’t ideal. But I can give him plenty of time now and a good break which I haven’t been able to do.

“Sandown was a slog and he knew he’d had a race and I just couldn’t let up on him with this in mind. A bit more time now will help and we’re very lucky to have him.

“It’s a great result for the McNeills and the Barbers and Paul Barber will be up there now absolutely loving it, it’s his type of horse. It’s all worked out perfectly and it’s great to see two great families enjoying this together.”