No Drama This End continuing to delight in Festival preparation

Paul Nicholls continues to dream that No Drama This End could one day be the one to follow in the footsteps of Denman after his exciting Turners Novices’ Hurdle prospect stepped up his Cheltenham Festival preparations at Kempton on Tuesday.

Unbeaten since turning his hand to hurdles this year, the strapping grey, who runs for long-time Ditcheat owners the McNeill family along with Chris and Giles Barber, has been spoken of glowing terms since dazzling on his hurdling bow at Prestbury Park in the autumn.

He has since added a further Grade Two and taken a well-trodden Nicholls path by claiming the Challow Hurdle at Christmas and will head to National Hunt racing’s showpiece event after delighting in a piece of work alongside Champion Hurdle hopeful Tutti Quanti.

Nicholls said: “He’s done his talking on the track and has 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.

“He went to Lambourn last week and did a gallop with Regent’s Stroll and No Drama This End does take plenty of work, he’s a big, strong, thick-set horse and was always going to come and work here today. He went round with Tutti Quanti who’s a sharp horse and it was perfect.

“It did cross my mind to go to Ascot with him a couple of weeks ago because there was a novice hurdle where he would only have had one penalty, but then again if something had gone wrong it wouldn’t have been worth it so we elected to stick to the plan, go have a gallop last week and come here today.

“He had three quick runs and did quite well. He went to Cheltenham and then it was an afterthought to go to the Sandown race and then he ran quickly again at Newbury. He’s had a nice break and we can get stuck into him now so he’s nice and fit and fresh.”

It was after his victory at Cheltenham in November that Denman’s name was first uttered in the conversations surrounding No Drama This End and the comparisons have continued given the symmetry of their careers, both Challow Hurdle winners heading into the Cheltenham Festival unbeaten over timber.

However, Nicholls has always taken great lengths to quantify his initial statements and while holding No Drama This End in the highest regard, is fully aware the latest exciting hopeful to progress through his Somerset academy has plenty to prove before he can be held on the same lofty pedestal as the 2008 Gold Cup hero.

Nicholls added: “The Denman comments get taken out of context and 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 who takes a lot of work.

“You could argue what did Denman achieve in his first few runs over hurdles compared to him and I did actually say if we one day have a horse that may compare with Denman, then it is him.

“I can only dream that at this stage, but he’s the same sort of model and doesn’t show masses at home, is workmanlike, is big and strong and you don’t know how good he is until he runs.

“If he turns out anywhere close to being like Denman in the future, you would be happy. A lot like Denman, the best you’ll see of him is when jumping a fence in time.”