Paul Nicholls Sets Sights on Champion Hurdle with 25-1 Cheltenham Festival Dark Horse Showing Rapid Improvement

PAUL NICHOLLS is eyeing up a spot in the Champion Hurdle with a 25-1 Cheltenham Festival dark horse he says is ‘improving rapidly’.

The Ditcheat master is also dreaming of a Festival first with victory in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle courtesy of the epic No Drama This End.

Paul Nicholls is sweet on the chances of Tutti Quanti in the Champion Hurdle – but he’ll need to see some rain in the forecast to supplement him for the Champion HurdleCredit: PA

But it is Tutti Quanti who could prove his big ace in the pack.

A 15-length winner of the Grade 3 William Hill Hurdle at Newbury when last seen earlier this month, Tutti Quanti is rocketing up the ranks.

He started the season with an official rating of 132 but after back-to-back wins is now 151.

And his trainer says he is nowhere near done improving.

To line up in the day one feature, however, he is likely to need some help from the weather gods.

Owned by Colm Donlon of the , Tutti Quanti thrives on soft ground.

Nicholls can wait right up until Wednesday, March 4, six days before the Champion Hurdle, to decide whether or not to supplement the horse.

So he’ll be keeping a close eye on weather reports in the build-up to the week.

The Betfair ambassador said: “Regarding Tutti Quanti we’re going to really consider the Champion Hurdle if it keeps on raining and the ground is on the slow side.

“He’s now rated 151 so he’s in range of some of the horses in the race and obviously handicaps aren’t going to be easy for him having gone up 13 pounds.

“The way he won last time suggests he’s rapidly improving and when they’re improving you never know where their ceiling might be.

“We don’t have to supplement him until five or six days before the race, so if the ground’s right and he’s right then we’ll be having a go.”

Nicholls is also all set for a right ding-dong with Willie Mullins in the Turners.

No Drama This End – who Nicholls has likened to the mighty Denman – has been vying for favouritism with Mullins’ Mighty Park.

The latter has raced just once over hurdles but won by 38 lengths and drew comparisons with Faugheen.

Nicholls is relishing the showdown and said: “If there’s a race I’d love to add to my record at the Cheltenham Festival, I think it would be the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, I haven’t won that yet.

“I got close to it with Denman when he was second, and it would be a nice race to win.

“This year at the Cheltenham Festival I’m most looking forward to No Drama This End.”

And while Nicholls is desperate to get one over Mullins there, he admits the Irish handler has the best chance of landing April’s Grand National.

The weights are released on Tuesday and Nicholls, who doesn’t have a runner in the race, added: “I thought I Am Maximus has run very well this season in his prep races and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s right in the mix again.

“The weights for the race will be announced soon but we know I Am Maximus has run in the Grand National twice and run very well both times, winning it in 2024, so he’s the horse I quite like for it at this stage.”

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