Paul Nicholls has decided that No Drama This End will compete in the Betfair Winter Novice Hurdle at Sandown on Friday, changing his initial plan. The 14-time champion trainer had originally targeted the Charlow Hurdle at Newbury for the promising five-year-old, who impressed with a strong hurdles debut at Cheltenham. However, after a brilliant show at last weekend’s Ditcheet Gallop, Nicholls reconsidered and opted for the Grade 2 race over 2.5 miles in Esher instead.
Nicholls explained, “When we checked the entries on Saturday, there were only six runners and since he had worked hard that morning, I thought we’d take a chance. The prize is valuable, and he’s in excellent form. He’s very laid-back, so we might still consider Charlow later, but we’ll take things race by race and see how Friday goes.”
No Drama This End’s chief competitor could be Tormund Giantsbane, winner at Carlisle, with trainer Dan Skelton optimistic about his horse’s chances. Skelton remarked, “He’s a big, strong horse, and the Sandown track resembles Carlisle – big, galloping, clockwise, with a challenging uphill finish. When he won, I felt this race suited him perfectly. There are no downsides; it’s just a bigger challenge, so he’ll need to improve.”
Nigel and Willie Twiston-Davies will enter Top Jimmy, winner of two Prix Atocksters, while Anthony Honeyball will send out Cracker Jack, fresh off a seven-length victory at Fontwell. Completing the five-horse field is The Blue Room, trained by Olly Murphy, who recently made a winning hurdles debut at Chepstow. Reverend Murphy praised him, saying, “He’s an excellent horse and destined to be a great chaser next year. I’m excited to see him step up in grade. Paul’s horse looked exceptional at Cheltenham, so the competition will be tough, but I’m eager to run him – he’s very promising.”
The racing card also features the Grade 2 Betfair Esher Novice Chase, where Nicholls and Skelton will face off again in a rematch reminiscent of Exeter. Previously, Skelton’s Doyen Quest outpaced Nicholls’ Quebecois by 10 lengths, but Quebecois is expected to perform better this time after gaining race experience. Nicholls commented, “Dan’s horse had a couple of runs before Exeter and was in good shape, but this is Quebecois’ first race for us, so I’m confident he’ll improve. I’m looking forward to the contest.”
Additionally, Gary and Josh Moore will run Salver, who started racing at Exeter but had a setback when clashing with Rulamba. Jamie Snowden’s Lawrence Bay also features in the race; he triumphed in a valuable hurdle at the course this spring and made a strong chase debut at Uttoxeter. Snowden said, “He performed well over fences at Uttoxeter, which was the plan all along. Following last week’s win by Wendigo, it would be fantastic to secure another Grade 2 New Horse Chase victory. He’s progressing well.”
Fan Take: This update is significant for horse racing enthusiasts as it highlights the dynamic decisions trainers make to optimize their horses’ potential, adding intrigue to upcoming competitions. Watching emerging talent like No Drama This End and strong rivalries develop in high-stakes races promises thrilling moments that can shape the future stars of the sport.
