AINTREE ON THE AGENDA

Liam Headd for the Racing Post 
30TH MARCH 2024

Ben Pauling reports Cheltenham Festival winner Shakem Up'Arry in "incredible form" but says he is more likely to go for the Topham Chase than the Grand National at Aintree.


The ten-year-old provided owner Harry Redknapp and jockey Ben Jones with their first festival winners in the Plate Handicap Chase this month, while Pauling landed his fourth success at the iconic meeting.


The Gloucestershire-based trainer is focused on Shakem Up'Arry's next assignment, which is expected to be in the Topham on April 12 as he is too far down in the weights for the £1 million Aintree showpiece a day later, with the race reduced from 40 to 34 runners this year.


Pauling said: "He’ll go in one of them at Aintree because he’s made for those races over the fences. He’s 44th in the weights for the National and last year he would have been sitting pretty, but it seems unlikely he’ll go there."
Shakem Up'Arry is a best-priced 14-1 for the Topham and as big as 66-1 for the National.


He will head to Aintree on a hat-trick after his Cheltenham wins on New Year's Day and at the festival.
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Pauling said: "He’s brilliant and he’s in absolutely incredible form. I never want to jump ship whenever I like a horse and I’ve always thought he could be a proper one.


"He’s now rated 149, and in my eyes that’s a very nice horse – he’s what I expected him to be. He’s got a great attitude and he jumps for fun."