Coral Challow Novices' Hurdle report and reaction: No Drama This End too good at Newbury

A dual winner in Grade 2 company already this season, the Paul Nicholls-trained grey took the step up to the top table in his stride with a straightforward pillar-to-post success at Newbury.

Harry Cobden was keen to try and control the two and a half-mile contest from the outset and his mount jumped efficiently on the sharp end, closely followed by nearest market rival Kalkbrenner.

As that rival dropped away in the home straight, Klimt Madrik (9/1) emerged as the most likely danger but the 4/9 favourite No Drama This End still had plenty left in the tank approaching the final flight and, following another neat leap, he was kept up to his work to score by a length and a quarter. Klimt Madrik edged the verdict for second over 12/1 chance Tiptoptim and there was a gap back to the remainder.

Nicholls said on ITV Racing: "That's very, very satisfying. Different tactics today, we had to do something different and Harry gave him a fantastic ride from the front.

"I just love the way he goes about his jumping and the way he gallops. Three runs and with just a three week gap (between the last two) is not ideal, but we can give him a nice break now until Cheltenham and freshen him up.

"I know I can get him a bit better than today, so I'm thrilled for everybody. He's a very smart horse, he's as good as any of them (previous Challow winners), you've had Gold Cup winners come out of the race and King George winners come out of the race. The size and scope of the horse... it's very exciting."

No Drama This End was becoming the seventh Ditcheat-trained Challow winner, following in the footsteps of Cornish Rebel (2003), Denman (2006), Bravemansgame (2020), Stage Star (2021), Hermes Allen (2022) and Captain Teague (2023), while last year's Challow was won by Dan Skelton's subsequent Turners Novices' Hurdle hero The New Lion, which is reported to be the long-term goal for this year's Newbury victor.

Paddy Power and Sky Bet clipped No Drama This end to 7/2 favourite (from 5/1) for the Turners and winning jockey Harry Cobden said: "A fast-run two and a half mile novice (at the Cheltenham Festival) would really suit him.

"This has been a great race for us.

"I just want to dedicate this win to a great friend of everyone in Ditcheat, Geoffrey Brown, who actually owned the horse before he was sold to the Barbers. He's not very well. He's not here today but this is for him, he deserves a lot of support and he's been a great friend to so many of us.

"I was in front as nobody wanted to make the running, and he wasn't helping me on the way around. I was just squeezing him down to a few hurdles, but I loved the way that today wasn't run to suit but he was still good enough to win. He's a lovely horse."

Timeform reaction

by David Cleary

Although he faced some promising rivals in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle, No Drama This End had looked good in winning twice in Grade 2 novice company, was sent off at 9/4-on and completed his hat-trick in convincing fashion, without having to find much in the way of improvement. One thing that was learnt about him was his ability to act on less testing ground, on good going here, compared to soft and heavy for his earlier victories.

No Drama This End was soon sent to the front, his slick jumping again on display – bar a fluff at the last in the back straight. He was asked to lift the pace leaving the back straight and gradually got his rivals off the bridle. He looked in control at the last and although he didn't draw away, he wasn't asked to do any more than required to maintain the advantage of 1¼ lengths over Klimt Madrik.

No Drama This End was giving his trainer Paul Nicholls a fifth win in the Challow in the last six seasons. The previous four all went straight to the Cheltenham Festival after their Newbury win, though all four came up short there, Bravemansgame faring best in taking third place in the Baring Bingham (now Turners). That would also seem the right target for No Drama This End who doesn't want for speed. He will need to improve, taking on the pick of the Irish, but he does look to have a fair bit more to offer still.

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