No Drama This End and Minella Yoga Secure Wins as Paul Nicholls Eyes Cheltenham Festival
No Drama This End won the Grade One Challow Novice Hurdle at Newbury, with Harry Cobden riding the horse to a 1¼ length victory at odds of 4-9. This victory marked trainer Paul Nicholls’s seventh win in the Challow Novice Hurdle, placing his yard among notable former champions such as Denman (2008 Gold Cup) and Bravemansgame (2022 King George) on the race’s roll of honour.
Nicholls indicated that this success positions No Drama This End as a contender for the Cheltenham Festival in March. The plan is to proceed directly to the festival, with the likelihood that it will be the horse's final run over hurdles before transitioning to chasing.
On the same day, Minella Yoga won the Introductory Hurdle at Newbury, defeating the 2-7 favourite Act Of Innocence. This win added to a successful day for Nicholls and enhanced the prospects of his yard. Act Of Innocence was among several horses moved away from Nicholls’s stable over the summer by owners Gordon and Su Hall. In contrast, Minella Yoga’s success is connected to Michael Geoghegan’s investment in Nicholls’s Ditcheat operation.
Nicholls suggested that Minella Yoga could target the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, with a possible juvenile trial scheduled for 24 January as preparation for the festival.
Regarding No Drama This End, Nicholls noted the horse's potential to be as strong as his previous Challow winners, highlighting that the horse has already secured two Grade Twos and a Grade One in just three hurdle starts. He may be aimed directly at Cheltenham before a possible conversion to chasing.
