NO drama this end.
That’s what Paul Nicholls has been telling everyone over the last 12 months.
The Ditcheat maestro – and 14-time champion trainer – has remained positive while others have seemed keen to write him off on the back of Dan Skelton’s rise to the top of the jumps ranks.
There’s no doubt Nicholls is in calmer waters than when stable stars like Kauto Star, Denman and Big Buck’s were at the height of their fame.
But Nicholls is on the verge of breaking Martin Pipe’s record of 3,930 jumps winners and without doubt the competitive fire still burns fiercely.
I can tell you one thing for sure…
Nicholls will be absolutely beaming and bouncing should the equine NO DRAMA THIS END take down Skelton’s Talk to the Man in Saturday’s Grade 2 Boodles Rising Stars Novices’ Chase at Aintree.
The two-and-a-half-mile event, live on ITV Racing, promises to be a belter, and No Drama This End remains one of Nicholls’s big guns for the future.
The grey son of Walk in the Park achieved much as a hurdler, winning a Grade 2 at Cheltenham on his first outing over the smaller obstacles.
He went on to take another Grade 2 at Sandown before the Grade 1 Challow at Newbury, beating useful types in Klimt Madrik and Montemares.
Then, though, a massive fall from grace with a disastrous effort in the Turners at the Cheltenham Festival.
A bad start didn’t help that day, but he had a reasonable pitch until losing ground before halfway and eventually being tailed off before pulling up.
A minor issue at Aintree (banged head and had a nosebleed) meant he missed a run at Liverpool, but he went to Perth in April and got back to winning ways, albeit making hard work of things before pulling clear at the line.
All of that could have been seen as a bonus.
After all, No Drama This End started life by winning a point-to-point at Bradbury Rings and chasing was surely going to be his game.
Nicholls seems happy with his preparation and schooling under new partner Sam Twiston-Davies.
He said: “No Drama This End has had a couple of schools and he’s gone nicely.
“He ran in a point-to-point and has some experience of jumping fences as a four-year-old.
“Sam schooled him the other morning and said he just needs some more experience on the track.
“I haven’t rushed him. There are big targets later in the season and he’s one of those that when you look at him in the paddock you will think he looks big.
“That’s just him, but he will improve for the run.
“That said, I’m delighted with everything he’s done.”
Nicholls has had to put up with Skelton winning with several of his former inmates this term, including Pc d’Orhy, who landed the Grade 2 Charlie Hall, Captain Teague and Sinnatra.
It can’t have been easy.
Indeed, No Drama This End faces the Skelton’s Talk to the Man who himself was running for Nicholls in a Grade 1 at this track in April.
Talk to the Man impressed on chase debut at Worcester last month and clearly has a fitness advantage.
To be quite frank Nicholls wouldn’t be human – which he most certainly is – if he didn’t want No Drama This End to put the Skelton runner in his place.
But Talk to the Man is not the only danger.
Also in the line-up is Taurus Bay, no mug for Ben Pauling and a horse who beat Captain Hugo here over hurdles last season.
He goes in the colours of Harry Redknapp.
It’s a race that promises so much.
But I must stick with No Drama This End and believe his class will allow him to overcome a lack of recent match practise.
That’s the Virgin Bet November Handicap, and the one I’m tipping up for a place at least is a former hero of the contest in LORD MELBOURNE.
Ralph Beckett’s runner took this off a mark of 90 in 2024 and was sixth last year when on a rating of 103.
He’s down to 97 now having gone up 2lb for a fine third in a big field at York last time.
Conditions are ideal for another big effort and while he’s got an outside box I’m never worried about that in this mud slog as they usually come down the middle of the track.
Harry Vigors takes off 5lb which actually means some might think he’s 3lb lower than at York.
Fingers crossed.
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