Rest of Cheltenham reports and free video replays on day one of November Meeting

If ever I had another type like Denman it is him

Paul Nicholls compared No Drama This End to the mighty Denman following his taking performance in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

Having finished ninth in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival on his last start the five-year-old made the perfect debut over hurdles to give Ditcheat handler Nicholls a timely boost in the Grade Two prize.

Much of the running in the two miles five furlong event was cut out by last season’s Champion Bumper runner-up Heads Up, who quickly opened up a sizable advantage soon after the flagfall in the hands of Mark McDonagh.

And turning for home the 7/4 favourite still held sway, however by this point he looked like a sitting duck with Harry Cobden still seemingly having plenty of horse underneath him on the run to the last.

Meeting the final flight on the perfect stride the Walk In The Park gelding quickly put matters to bed before scoring by three lengths leading to Nicholls comparing him to the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner

Nicholls said: “He is a proper big chasing horse and we need to look after him. Harry said he had gears and that he did it all nicely. Running him in the Champion Bumper wasn’t lost on him and it didn’t do him any harm.

“I put pressure on myself as you want those good horses. If you haven’t got the players in your team you are a little bit screwed basically.

“We have still got some nice young horses. Caldwell (Potter) had a bit of a setback, but he will be back. Kalif Du Berlais will come back, I’m not worried about him at all and we have got Regent’s Stroll ready to run and he will be an improver like that one when he runs.

“This one has had something special about him all the way along the line, but I just wanted to see that on track, which we did today. For a first run over hurdles that is really good.”

And now Nicholls will aim No Drama This End in the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle, which he has won a record six times with the likes of Bravemansgame, Denman, and Stage Star, at Newbury on December 29th

He added: “I will not run him before the Challow Hurdle as I don’t need to and we will go straight there. We will look after this season and go chasing next season.

“Hermes Allen won this race before the Challow and he would be up there with all those horses without a shadow of a doubt. If ever I had another type like Denman it is him.”

Nom strikes early for Skelton

A Pai De Nom got this year’s November Meeting off to a flyer for trainer Dan Skelton after returning to winning ways in the Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Benefitting from a patient ride from Tristan Durrell, the 11/2 chance was produced with a well-timed run to make it two wins from three starts over hurdles in the two miles and five furlongs contest.

Always travelling well in the hands of Durrell, the Passing Glance gelding loomed up with an ominous looking run along with eventual fourth Walkadina on the run down to the second last.

However, a less than fluent jump at the final flight handed the momentum back to eventual third As Legends Have It, but despite taking a few strides to be gathered back in A Pai De Nom knuckled down to the task well before going on to score by a length from Lucky Manifest.

Skelton said: “He has done really well. Tristan gave him a great ride and made up a bit of ground down the back straight. I always felt like it was going to be hard to get in today turning in today with conditions as they are.

“He is a baby and sometimes (a jump like his at the last) can happen. He got stuck in with more experienced horses around him. He will make a fine chaser as well.

“He had some really good form and he was behind a good bumper horse at Chepstow then he lost his way.

"We needed to do his wind and that is a brilliant start to his career and hopefully he can be a good horse. We are absolutely delighted with him.

“He is called A Pai De Nom, which means I’ve got no name, and for so long we called him the horse with no name and he kind of slipped under the radar for a lot of his life, but he isn’t now.

“He has had a good day and we will worry about other races further down the line.”

Eldorado strikes gold

Joe Tizzard described Eldorado Allen as a ‘pleasure to watch’ after securing his first victory in more than three years with a bold display from the front in the Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase.

Talk of retirement had been mentioned for the11 year-old at the end of last season, however he rewarded connections decision to give him another roll of the dice this campaign with an exemplary performance in the two and a half mile test.

After grabbing the early initiative, the 13/2 chance never looked back after meeting each fence on a near perfect stride under Brendan Powell.

Turning for home Can You Call and Mister Coffey emerged as potential challengers to the gallant grey after he made his sole blunder in the race at the penultimate fence.

However, after giving the last plenty of daylight Eldorado Allen bounded away up the run-in to score by four and a half lengths.

Tizzard said: “He has been with us a long time and we love these veterans' series. We had Copperhead last season winning the final over three miles and that couldn’t be any nice for him to go and do that.

“It (retirement) was talked about at the end of last season, but I had to convince people to give him until Christmas because he is so good fresh. I’m glad we did as he has been in good form at home and loved every part of today.

“He hasn’t won for three years, but he is always good fresh. He was just a pleasure to watch. The handicapper had finally given him a bit of a chance as he was eight pounds lower than the December race he ran in here last year.

“He gets three miles, but that was probably his ideal trip around here. Brendan was able to fill him up all the way, and he jumped like a stag, and then he kept at it well. I’m chuffed to bits. He will come back here next month for sure.

“They will stick him up six or seven pounds now, but he has got one in the bag.”

And equally delighted was John Romans, who owns the Khalkevi gelding with Terry Warner.

Romans said: “He runs good fresh and my God he jumped well, and finished well. He was fantastic at the last. Everybody had a go at him, but he soon pushed them back. He kept going and going which was excellent.

“It is a shame Terry can’t be here today. He was coming, but it was a bit too damp for him as I think he is 94 now. He will be giving him a good cheer from home though.”

Out with the washing

Sean Bowen once again underlined his brilliance in the saddle when turning a seemingly lost cause into a winning one aboard Wade Out in the Sun’s “Save Our Bets” Novices’ Chase.

Victory looked to be beyond the 9/4 chance mid-way through the £40,000 prize with Bowen shoving his mount along at the rear of the field while those around him still appeared to be travelling with plenty of zest.

However, as has been seen already on more than one occasion this season, Bowen was not for chucking in the towel aboard the six-year-old, who made a winning debut over fences at Worcester 23 days ago.

Approaching the second last in three miles one furlong prize it was chasing debutant One Big Bang who held the advantage after mastering Isaac Des Obeaux, however waiting to pounce in the wings was Bowen aboard Wade Out after manoeuvring his mount into a challenging position.

And, after jumping the last, Wade Out forged on under a determined Bowen before scoring by three and a quarter lengths to leave triumphant trainer Murphy dreaming of glory at the Festival with the Shantou gelding in March.

Murphy said: “It was a great ride by Sean. I called him (the horse) so many names on the way round. He is not as slow as he makes out, and I’m not saying he is ungenuine, but he saves a bit for himself. I said beforehand I’ve always believed in this horse and he actually bolted up in the end.

“He stays well and I’m going to have to train him for the National Hunt Chase back here.

“I’m absolutely delighted. John Hales is no longer with us, but I’m chuffed to bits to train a winner in his colours. Ged (Mason) and Sir Alex (Ferguson) are in Bahrain. It is magic, but these are the people you want to train winners for.

“He has got a lot of ability and he has got more to give this horse. He will have one run and then go straight there (to the Festival).”

And on stable jockey Bowen the Wilmcote had nothing but praise following his latest heroics in the saddle.

He added: “You have just got to believe in your jockey. I believe in him and he believes in my horses, and how I train them, and that rubs off in his riding too. He is brilliant.”

Emperor reigns for perfect Martin

Nicky Martin celebrated her first Cheltenham winner as a trainer after French Emperor maintained her perfect start to the season when making light work of testing conditions in the Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle.

Having won with each of her four previous runners this season the Somerset handler made it five straight winners for the campaign after the lightly-raced five-year-old followed up his win at Worcester last month.

Produced to challenge the Fergal O’Brien-trained pair of Jack Hyde and Frontier at the last the 5/1 chance, despite flattening the final hurdle, picked up well when sent on by James Bowen before obliging by a length and a quarter.

Martin said: “That is five from five now. It is unbelievable. He loved the ground and we knew the ground was too quick at Worcester. These conditions were never going to worry him as that is what he is used to on Exmoor!

“I was hoping to be in the first three as you never expect to win, well I never do. It is my first winner as a trainer here as well so that is a special moment.

“It is a completely different feeling to training a winner opposed to owning one. When you own one someone else has done all the hard work, whereas training one you have put in all the graft.

“I was just screaming at that point when he hit the last.

“I didn’t expect it to go quite so well today so we will have to start making a plan of sorts with him now and I think he can win a nice handicap.”

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