No Drama This End Shines at Newbury, Paul Nicholls Targets Cheltenham Festival
No Drama This End, ridden by Harry Cobden, won the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury, securing victory by 1 1/4 lengths as the 4-9 favourite. This marked Paul Nicholls's seventh win in the Challow Hurdle, joining notable horses such as Denman, the 2008 Gold Cup winner, and Bravemansgame, the 2022 King George victor, on the race's roll of honour.
Nicholls plans to take No Drama This End straight to the Cheltenham Festival in March. If all goes well, this race will be the horse's last hurdle run before Cheltenham, after which it will switch to chasing. The horse has three hurdle starts so far, including two Grade Two races and one Grade One win.
Earlier on the same card, Minella Yoga won the Introductory Hurdle, defeating Act of Innocence. Act of Innocence was transferred from Nicholls's stable over the summer by owners Gordon and Su Hall. Michael Geoghegan remains a major investor in Nicholls's Ditcheat operation.
Minella Yoga is currently priced around 16-1 for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. Nicholls confirmed that Minella Yoga will definitely have an entry for the race and could run in a Cheltenham trial on 24 January as part of preparations for the festival.
Prior to the Challow Hurdle, No Drama This End had been the favourite for Cheltenham's Turners Novice Hurdle, with odds shortening to about 4-1 following its impressive performance at Newbury.
