Big day dawns for No Drama This End in Rising Stars

All eyes will be on No Drama This End’s debut over fences in the Boodles Rising Stars Novices’ Chase at Aintree.

A star novice hurdler last season, he claimed graded events at Cheltenham and Sandown before securing top honours when enhancing Ditcheat maestro Paul Nicholls’ fine record in Newbury’s Challow Hurdle over the Christmas period.

Although failing to sparkle in the Turners at the Cheltenham Festival, he returned to land Listed honours at Perth in April and having long been touted as a potential superstar over the larger obstacles, will make his reappearance on Merseyside.

“He’s great, he did a seriously good piece of work at Bath a week or so ago with Sam (Twiston-Davies) on board and he worked really well,” said Max McNeill who co-owns No Drama This End alongside Chris and Giles Barber.

“So that was his first test if you like. He’s schooled beautifully and so we’re all systems go.

“Paul always said to me from day one and before he ran his first race over hurdles that whatever he does over hurdles is a bonus.

“He won his bumper at Warwick quite fresh and he won the Grade Two at Cheltenham last season when he was fresh, but I think by Paul’s own admission, he’s left plenty to work on and you don’t want to be getting absolutely ripped for the first run of the season in the first week of November really.”

Nicholls has somewhat farmed this Grade Two contest when staged in its traditional Wincanton home and McNeill is hopeful usual order can be preserved while praising officials for redirecting the valuable novice event to the north west.

McNeill added: “All credit to the Jockey Club and for everybody else who’s got together and put these races on, it’s really good forward thinking and for racing as a whole, I think it’s been a really good thing and a smart move.”

Dan Skelton’s Talk To The Man is a recent transfer to Lodge Hill from Ditcheat and has race fitness on his side after easing to victory on his chase debut at Worcester last month. He now faces a familiar face in No Drama This End.

“It is a pretty exciting novice chase, they have done an amazing job with the ground and I think everything is all right to let him take his chance,” Skelton said.

“It is going to be hard though and he takes on some fancier opposition, not least of all his ex-stablemate, so it will be very interesting.

“But these novice chases are a bit thin on the ground and we have to go where we can.”

The Harry Redknapp-owned Taurus Bay is another who acquitted himself well over timber last term and now makes the move to fences with handler Ben Pauling optimistic of a positive introduction.

“I had no intention of starting off in this sort of race, but it’s needs must with the ground the way it is around the country,” the Naunton-based handler said.

“He’s in very good form and is a lovely horse who jumps well and we’ve always thought an awful lot of him.

“He was too weak to do himself justice at the backend of last season, but has come back in looking great. He’s got plenty to find at the ratings but I don’t see him disgracing himself.

“He was bang there in the Turners two out but just made a bad mistake and then Ben (Jones) went easy on him. He ran a very nice race for a long way and I think he will be better this year.

“A lot of mine are needing the run, but he’s a very clean-winded horse and has done everything we have asked of him at home.

“You would be hopeful he will run a very nice race, whether the Skelton horse or Paul’s horse is going to be fitter than him, you probably can’t deny that, but I’m looking forward to seeing how he fares.”

Favour And Fortune, trained by Alan King has also been declared as has Mikey Bowen’s Off The Jury who won on Friday.