'He could make a splash in a handicap' - Ben Pauling's squad for Cheltenham
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Ben Pauling has established his position as one of Britain's promising younger generation of trainers after leaving his position as assistant trainer to Nicky Henderson to go it alone in 2013.
He trains at Naunton Downs, nestled in the rolling hills of the Cotswolds countryside and he celebrated breaking into the top 10 of the National Hunt Trainers' Championship in the 2023-24 season.
Last March, Shakem Up'arry became his fourth Cheltenham Festival winner, joining Willoughby Court, Le Breuil and Global Citizen.
Pauling is preparing for Cheltenham once more and we're looking at some of his possible 2025 contenders after the disappointing news that Pauling's star novice chaser The Jukebox Man is set to miss out on the spring festivals.
Handstands
Handstands enjoyed a fine season over hurdles last time, winning at Hereford, Newcastle and Huntingdon before coming up shy in the 2m5f Grade 1 Gallagher Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.That remains his only defeat in completed starts, as he made up for a fall at Wincanton on his chasing bow in November by landing the Grade 2 Esher Novices' Chase over 3m at Sandown in December and following up at Ffos Las (2m3½f, soft) under a penalty in the Towton Novices' Chase in January.
The Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown in early February could have a major impact on his Cheltenham plans.
Shakem Up’arry
Shakem Up'arry has already won twice at Cheltenham, including landing the Plate last March off a mark of 143, and he is being aimed at the same contest this time around.
Owner Harry Redknapp will be hoping for a boost in the wake of the news that The Jukebox Man is out for the season.
Shakem Up'arry is rated only 4lb higher now, although he has turned 11-years-old. He fell in a Veterans' Chase race at Cheltenham in December on his first run back and it remains to be seen if Pauling opts to give him another run before Cheltenham, with a possible tilt at the Grand National also being mooted.
Henry's Friend
Henry's Friend could be one for the Festival handicaps, with the Ultima Handicap Chase on day one a possible target for this strong stayer.
He was touted in pre-season dispatches as a potentially exciting handicap chaser for the season and the esteem in which he's held was reflected with a tilt at the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November.
He finished a sound fifth and went back to the Berkshire track in December to win the 3m2f Mandarin Handicap Chase in good style off a mark of 138.
He's now officially rated 145 and that could be enough to leave him well positioned, with 13 of the 26 Ultima winners since 1997 obliging from ratings between 139 and 145.
Personal Ambition
The winner of the Premier Novices' Hurdle at Kelso (2m2f, good to soft) last March, Personal Ambition is yet to win in four runs over fences but has shown enough ability to be considered one that could make a splash in a handicap over an intermediate trip this spring.
He ran well when fourth behind Kalif Du Berlais at Newbury in November and bettered that by finishing second in the Grade 2 Howden Noel Novices' Chase at Ascot (2m3f, good to soft) in December behind Mark Of Gold
He might have won had he jumped the last better and while graded ambitions at Cheltenham in March are probably on the shelf after being held in the Lightning Novices' Chase at Windsor in January, the drop back to two miles there probably didn't do him any favours.
He's another Pauling contender with scope for better in a hot handicap from a low-ish mark.
Diva Luna
This mare was 2-2 in bumpers last season, including winning a Grade 2 at Aintree, and has shown ability since going hurdling.
She has finished second in two of her three starts, though both runs came over 2m at Lingfield and Sandown.
In between times, she won a Cheltenham maiden over 2m4½f on New Year's Day having made plenty of the running before fighting off Newton Tornado.
She was outpaced at Sandown next time but the Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle might offer a better stamina test as UK-based trainers go for a fourth successive win in the race.