BECAUSE of the weather, there has been little equestrian sport of late, so we can take the opportunity to mention two racehorses, who won bumpers in England on New Year’s Eve.

First up, Paul Nicholls saddled the Harry Cobden-ridden No Drama This End to score at Warwick where, the day before he officially turned five, the grey gelding by Walk In The Park beat fellow track newcomer, Keops Des Borders, the 6/5 favourite, by three and a half lengths.

The runner-up, who is trained by Dan Skelton and was ridden by the handler’s brother Harry, won a four-year-old point-to-point maiden at Loughanmore last April. That was his only start in this country for Co Wexford trainer Donnchadh Doyle, purchaser of the top-priced lot at last October’s Goresbridge select sale of three-year-old show jumpers, Columbcille Wheelagower MBF.

In contrast, No Drama This End made his sole appearance in a British point-to-point, when landing the third division of an open maiden at Badbury Rings last February. He was then trained and ridden by leading British point-to-point rider Will Biddick, husband of British international show jumper Harriet Biddick (nee Nuttall).

No Drama This End was bred by artist Dale Adams, mother of show jumper Lauren, who signed off her career in ponies as 2024 came to an end. Dale, who also writes on pony show jumping in the Irish Horse World, bred the Warwick winner out of the Turgeon mare La Segnora, an eight-time winner in her native France, who is dam previously of three other track winners, all by Walk In The Park.

Ronda

Roughly 10 minutes after No Drama This End passed the post in front at Warwick, the Jamie Snowden-trained, James Davies-ridden newcomer A Path To Ronda did so in the mares’ bumper at Uttoxeter where, at odds of 16/1, she beat the once previously-raced Diamonds Galore by two and a quarter lengths.

Also turning five on January 1st, A Path To Ronda was bred by former event rider Virginia McGrath, who represented Ireland many times internationally, most notably at the Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000) Olympic Games on The Yellow Earl. The Uttoxeter winner, a grey daughter of Getaway, is the last of 12 recorded produce out of the four-time-winning British-bred mare Dusty Too (by Terimon), whose previous five winners include Simonsig.

That grey Fair Mix gelding recorded eight wins including at Grade 1 level in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle and the Racing Post Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival of 2012 and 2013. He was then trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Barry Geraghty for Scotland’s Ronnie Bartlett, owner of Mark Kyle’s ride at the 2012 London Olympic Games, the Ghareeb gelding Coolio, another grey.