Coral Challow Novices' Hurdle
Grade 1, Newbury 15:00
£60,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus,
2m 4f 118y, Class 1  
Monday 29th December 2025

1 No Drama This End 4/9F
2 Klimt Madrik 9/1
3 Tiptoptim 12/1
6 ran NR: Destination Dubai , Giantsgrave, Starzand
Distances: 1¼l, nse, 6½l; Time: 5m 0.52s (slow by 8.52s)

No Drama This End continued to justify the growing regard in which he is held with a smooth and authoritative success.

The Paul Nicholls-trained grey, sent off the 4-9 favourite under Harry Cobden, arrived unbeaten from two runs over hurdles, both of them Grade Two victories, and there was never any sense that that record was under threat. Ridden prominently throughout, he travelled strongly at the head of affairs and remained firmly on the bridle as the race developed.

Turning for home, the outcome was soon beyond doubt. Once asked to lengthen, No Drama This End quickened clear with ease, pulling away to score by a length and a quarter from Klimt Madrik and doing so with plenty still in reserve.

The five-year-old was cut to 7-2 for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival by BetVictor, and Nicholls confirmed that a direct route to March is now the plan. Nicholls said: “He’s learned a lot doing that from the front and not the other way and I said to Harry ride him like the best horse in the race and it was fantastic.

“He’s a real character all right and he’s beginning to wake up and realise what a big lad he is. Seeing him in the parade ring, he was as sharp as I’ve seen him for a long time and I just love the way Harry gave him one little slap after the last and he just took off.

“He’s obviously very special and to back it up after three weeks and then another three weeks has not been ideal so it hasn’t been easy to get him ready for today, there was one time last week we weren’t going to run today and go Cheltenham on Trials Day instead.”

He added: “He just came right this week and I wanted to give him a nice bit of time off between now and the Cheltenham Festival so it has worked out beautiful and we’ll go straight there now.

“We’ll cover all options and he’ll get entries in both the Turners and the Albert Bartlett and I would say he’s just shown there how effective he is on good ground and how effective he is over the intermediate trip.

“I would say that would be his last run over hurdles and God willing if all goes to plan he’ll go chasing, jumping fences is his job and we always say what he achieves over hurdles is a bonus and with him it’s true.”

Nicholls has already drawn parallels between No Drama This End and some of his outstanding former Challow winners, and he was again happy to reflect on how his latest star measures up. He said: “You can ask me how he compares to my other Challow winners and the likes of Bravemansgame, Denman and all those, he compares favourably with all of them. If you think three runs over hurdles and he’s won two Grade Twos and a Grade One and none of them achieved that.

“I’m not saying he’s Denman right now but in 10 years time he might. What I’ve said before is if I had one that could be Denman in time if we’re lucky, then he could be and right now he’s ticking plenty of boxes. He’s exciting, very exciting.

“When I had all the good ones years ago, one of them would win every Saturday so it didn’t matter how bad the rest were, they cover you and it’s all about having good players like this on your team.

“I think I can get him better than this and the preparation wasn’t ideal. But I can give him plenty of time now and a good break which I haven’t been able to do.

“Sandown was a slog and he knew he’d had a race and I just couldn’t let up on him with this in mind. A bit more time now will help and we’re very lucky to have him.

“It’s a great result for the McNeills and the Barbers and Paul Barber will be up there now absolutely loving it, it’s his type of horse. It’s all worked out perfectly and it’s great to see two great families enjoying this together.”

Challow Novices' Hurdle
£60,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 4f 118y, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    No Drama This End 5 11-7 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden
2 1¼ Klimt Madrik 5 11-7 Toby Lawes Kevin Brogan
3 nse Tiptoptim 5 11-7 Jamie Snowden Gavin Sheehan
4 6½ Montemare s 4 11-7 Tom Lacey Stan Sheppard
5 14 Etna Bianco 5 11-7 Joe Tizzard Brendan Powell
6 6½ Kalkbrenner 5 11-7 Ben Pauling Ben Jones
NR 1 Destination Dubai 6 11-7 David Killahena & Graeme McPherson NON-RUNNER
NR 3 Giantsgrave 5 11-7 Dan Skelton NON RUNNER
NR 8 Starzand 5 11-7 Philip Hobbs & Johnson White NON RUNNER