Paul Nicholls guides us through an exciting team heading for the Cheltenham Festival including No Drama This End, Regent's Stroll, plus more of the yard's likely key runners.
When the sleeves need rolling up for a battle there are few better trainers out there to rise to such a challenge than Paul Nicholls.
In a campaign which has been anything but smooth for the 14-time champion National Hunt trainer, it is testament to his ability that he has already managed to bag Grade One glory this term, along with smashing the £1 million mark in prize money.
Losing a number of smart recruits owned by Gordon and Su Hall, including Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favourite Old Park Star, and watching an exodus of horses owned by Neil and Alfie Smith head for pastures new would be enough to derail most trainers.
Added to that an injury which ruled dual Grade One winner Caldwell Potter for the season, and the loss of the exciting Kalif Du Berlais following a fatal fall at Kempton Park last month, means Nicholls has had to find an extra resolve this campaign.
But given his track record of success it would have taken a brave person to bet against Nicholls from not only taking on that challenge head first but also ensuring when the spring rolls around he has a team capable of fighting it out for the major prizes.
And while his squad for this year’s Cheltenham Festival might lack the big hitters of seasons gone by, the sight of Nicholls walking away with a winner from the meeting would come as little surprise.
Nicholls said: “We are not as strong as we have been when we had those big horses in the golden years, but it is great to go there with some nice chances. I always like to be competitive and there was one point where I thought I wouldn’t have much to run at Cheltenham, but we have had a few more come into the mix.
“It is great to have a good novice hurdler like No Drama This End going there as he is hopefully the future for us.
“I think we have done incredibly well with the horses we have got and the whole team deserves credit. It just shows we can still win those big races if we have the right materials.
“Losing those top class horses was not nice, but it was frustrating more than anything. I don’t like losing good horses that I’ve nurtured and brought along, but it has happened and we will build back.
“We are not going to win the title this season, but if we end up finishing second it will be a monumental effort. It is very much onwards and upwards."
