The exciting No Drama This End delighted Paul Nicholls with a piece of work at Kempton on Tuesday. The the Challow Hurdle winner remains on track for Cheltenham glory.
The Walk In The Park gelding has an unblemished record over hurdles, with the Turners Novices’ Hurdle the likeliest option. He landed the Grade 2 Hyde Novices’ Hurdle over C&D hurdles debut, reversing the Champion Bumper form with Heads Up.
After another G2 victory, he won the Challow at Newbury a shade cosier than the eventual finishing margin suggested. While that race has often been a subsequent Cheltenham curse, The New Lion broke such a belief last season.
Speaking to the Racing Post, Nicholls remarked “I’m not saying he’s Denman. In ten years I might. If I had one that might be like him, if we’re lucky, then he could be. He’s got it all, and he’s exciting.
“I told Harry to ride him like the best horse in the race, and that was fantastic. He’s very special.”
Willie Mullins could spoil the party
No Drama this end has long been the Turners favourite, but Mighty Park has knocked him off that perch.
The Closutton inmate was given Faugheen comparisons after his thirty eight length triumph on debut. At a Jockey Club press meeting via the Racing Post, Mullins noted: “He has to be a hell of a horse to do that.
“You’re into sort of Faugheen type territory and those things don’t happen very often. My gut is telling me he has to be a hell of a horse.”
Willie Mullins has won three of the last four renewals of the Turners, and Mighty Park appears a credible threat.
Paul Nicholls will be unperturbed by this fuss however, as he looks to win his belated first Turners. Speaking at Kempton via Racing TV, Nicholls said “He’s done his talking on the track.
“He’s won two Grade Twos and a Grade one in three runs and you can’t ask for more than that. Where his ceiling is, you would never know at home and it’s what he does on the track that tells you.”
Nicholls can slip in to the comparisons of his former superstars, and the Denman murmurs were attached after Newbury.
Revisiting those comments, Nicholls noted how they “get taken out of context,
“If you look at him as a model, I was just trying to compare him with Denman as he’s a big tank of a horse. If he turns out anywhere close to Denman in the future, you would be happy.”
As with the case with most of Nicholls, No Drama This End will undoubtedly improve for a fence next season but he looks to adopt all the attributes required to perform to a high standard at the Cheltenham Festival in two weeks time.