AT THE RACES - AINTREE

The Naunton Downs trainer is out for more big meeting glory with the likes of Shakem Up’Arry, The Jukebox Man and Diva Luna.

Ben Pauling has already enjoyed a season he won’t forget and any success at Aintree this weekend would, quite literally, be further icing on the cake for him and his team at Naunton Downs in Gloucestershire.


Pauling recently passed the £1million pound prize money barrier and heads to Liverpool fresh from success at the Cheltenham Festival with Shakem Up’arry in the Plate Handicap which could have been even better but for an agonising close home defeat for The Jukebox Man in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Chase.


That pair will be in action at the meeting again, as Pauling looks to close in on last season’s personal best of 80 winners, just nine short at time of press, with Shakem Up’Arry watching out for his options between the Grand National and the Topham Handicap Chase and The Jukebox Man heading for the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle on Friday.


They will be backed up by a strong squad of stablemates that includes the likes of Twig, Champagne Twist and Densworth plus the listed bumper-winning debutant Diva Luna and others that could well spring a surprise.


Ben said: “It has been an extraordinary season because we were slow to get going as we started on heavy ground and the horses just needed it and then they have run brilliantly throughout the season - especially since mid-December.


“It is slightly frustrating we are dealing with heavy ground and lots of abandonments in April and you should just be getting everything out. We still have lots of horses to run and, hopefully we can get a lot of horses out and see if we can finish the season off strongly. It has been a huge team effort, and we have an amazing bunch of staff. The owners have been fabulous, and we have some very smart horses for the future.”


Pauling kindly talked to Tony Elves of attheraces.com about his prospects for a busy three-days at the Grand National Festival. Click here to read article and what Ben has to saw re. runners.