Klimt Madrik
Noted here after his previous run, when he won the novices' hurdle at Newbury's Coral Gold Cup meeting that has been won in the recent past by The New Lion and Stay Away Fay and Stage Star and Bravemansgame, Klimt Madrik is worthy of note again after his run to finish second in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury on Monday. The winner No Drama This End received all the plaudits, and deservedly so. He made all the running, he jumped well, and he left the impression that he was winning with a little more in hand than the one-and-a-quarter-length winning margin. But consequentially, the quality of the performance that the runner-up put up in defeat may have gone a little under the radar.
Held up through the early stages of the race by Kevin Brogan, as he has been in all three of his races now over hurdles, Toby Lawes' horse travelled well into the home straight, and he and the winner were the only two horses who were still on the bridle on the run to the second last flight, at which a slight mistake was no help. Klimt Madrik picked up well from there and, while it never really looked like he would et to the winner, he stayed on well enough to get up for second place from Tiptoptim.
No Drama This End was very good, and he may have won well however the race had been run, but he did have the run of it. Harry Cobden set sedate fractions to suit his own horse, as evidenced by a finishing speed of 112% of overall speed. Klimt Madrik had to make his ground into a quickening pace and, actually, he was faster than No Drama This End through the final four furlongs and through the final furlong. Indeed, his final four-furlong time of 51.58secs is the fastest time for Newbury's final four furlongs that Race IQ have on their database, from 1,225 runners.
Klimt Madrik should be seen to even better effect off a stronger pace or on softer ground or over a longer trip, or under some combination of those three elements. It may be that he is not a Cheltenham horse, at least not this year. His three runs over hurdles have been at Newbury and Ffos Las, both flat, left-handed tracks. It is interesting that connections have entered him in the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown's Dublin Racing Festival, and that race could be ideal for him. He will be of interest if he makes the trip, but he will be of interest wherever he goes next, and he will be of particular interest if and when he goes back to Newbury, ideally on softer ground or over a longer trip.
Newbury, 29th December 2025
Back