Owned by The Megsons, Monty Bodkin was all heart as he dug deep to keep his lead on soft holding ground at Doncaster. The win marked a double on the day for the team with Leader In The Park winning the first also under Ben Jones.
Congratulations to all connections of these two lovely horses.
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Leader In The Park maintains his lead throughout to win well at Doncaster for owner Lady Dulverton. The son of Walk In The Park grew in confidence as the race progressed, flying the last under a lovely ride from Ben Jones.
Looking forward to the future with this smart prospect. No Questions Asked puts in a stylish performance to win well on debut under a great ride from Ben Jones.
The win pays reward to some very patient owners and we are delighted he has been worth the wait! Congratulations to all connections. In-form trainer and jockey Ben Jones star in Ascot treble. AT THE RACES article. Henry’s Friend held off the late lunge of Kilbeg King to successfully move up in class and win the Sodexo Live! Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot, on a tremendous afternoon for trainer Ben Pauling and jockey Ben Jones. Pauling fitted Henry’s Friend with cheekpieces for the first time, despite him winning his last two outings. And it certainly had the desired effect, as he showed real determination in the closing stages to win the Grade Two in the hands of Ben Jones. Brave Kingdom attempted to make all, but he was beaten a long way from home which left 13-8 favourite Apple Away in front. She could never quite break away, however, as Henry’s Friend, Kilbeg King and outsider The King Of Ryhope all had a chance jumping two out. It was Henry’s Friend (13-2) who toughed it out best, winning by a head and earning a quote of 10-1 for the National Hunt Chase with Paddy Power, although Cheltenham is unlikely to be on the winner’s radar, as Pauling explained. “He didn’t jump well enough early doors and it was fortunate for him they didn’t go much of a gallop,” he said. “I thought they would go a right gallop and if they had done he wouldn’t have been in it. But he was brave from the back of the last and his jumping got better and he keeps improving. “I thought he was well handicapped, but I just thought he would be better off in a smaller field. I’m thrilled because he had to improve and he has. “He wants every yard (of three miles) and he will be a lovely staying chaser in time. Stamina would never be a worry for me with this lad. “He’s got an entry at Cheltenham in the amateur chase, but I doubt he wants to go there after that – that looked a bit of a ding-dong and to go there so quickly might be stupid. “We might look at Aintree for him or something like that, but I think that will do for now.” Pauling also claimed the opening Ascot Shop Novices’ Hurdle with Pic Roc (11-2) as he continues to add to his crack team of promising youngsters. (Photos above) His second to Hasthing at Catterick saw him qualify for Sandown’s European Breeders’ Fund Betfair ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final and having downed the well-regarded 13-8 favourite Inthewaterside, his handler confirmed that would be his next assignment. “He’s a nice horse who I’ve always thought plenty of but haven’t managed to win with him,” added Pauling. “If you are going to lose your maiden status, here is a great place in a nice race. “He will go to the EBF Final and he qualified for that at Catterick (when second to Hasthing). I just needed to get a run into him and tried that at Doncaster last week but it snowed. “He doesn’t jump well enough to be a top-class novice this year – he needs a fence. But he will be a lovely novice chaser next year. He’s not a star of hurdles but he might be a nice staying chaser next year. “We’ll just chuck him in the EBF, see how we get on and then maybe pull stumps for the year. We’ve got a lot entered in that race this year, but he would probably right towards the top of them now.” The double marked a big Saturday afternoon for Jones, who has become a key member of Pauling’s Naunton Downs team following the retirement of Luca Morgan and steered home Harry Redknapp’s Shakem Up’Arry at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. “I’m absolutely delighted and it’s easy when you have nice horses underneath you,” said the 24-year-old. “I’m just lucky that I’m able to go out and perform against the big boys and the big horses, so I’m delighted. “As a jockey all you want to do is ride in the bigger races and at the bigger meetings and winners like that on the big stage mean a lot. “The better the horse, the better the jockey and I’ve had a couple of willing partners today.” It was then so nearly the stuff of dreams for the pair, with Bad going agonisingly close to giving them a quickfire hat-trick in the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Handicap Hurdle but just missing out to Mothill in a bob of heads on the line. But the treble was duly secured when Honor Grey (14-1) won the Ascot Racecourse Supports Box4Kids Handicap Hurdle
“I’m buzzing to be honest. I’ve had lots of winners and lots of nice horses, but I’ve never had a treble on a Saturday,” said Pauling. “I was inches away from a four-timer but it doesn’t matter, they have all run their races and I’m really chuffed. “It’s been an amazing season and it’s going from strength-to-strength. Since we’ve moved to the new yard we’ve invested heavily in facilities and hopefully now it’s working. We have an incredible bunch of young horses and hopefully it leads to bigger things. “It’s just great to be competing at this level and it’s going really well.”
Handstands (Getaway) remains unbeaten by beating a strong and select field in the £30,000 highlight at Huntingdon, the Listed Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle.
The five year old settled into to a lovely rhythm under Harry Cobden early in the race, jumping tidily throughout before moving strongly round the hometurn to take the lead over the final two hurdles. Handstands has made a brilliant start to his career and we look forward to watching him progress as he gains in experience. Congratulations to his owner Mr T P Radford.
Dunskay (Night Wish) is back to debut form to boast a smart three length win in the Huntingdon finale to make it a card double for the team and Harry Cobden.
Congratulations to owners, the OAPs. Diva Luna kept Ben Pauling on a roll with his bumper horses when she made a successful start under rules in the Listed feature, named in honour of Alan Swinbank, at the Lincolnshire track.
Winning rider Brian Hughes rode many winners for the former North Yorkshire-based Swinbank and was not for stopping in the straight on the well-backed 4-1 chance to hold off Listentoyourheart by three-quarters of a length. The winner had been placed on her only previous start in an Irish point-to-point after which the owners switched her to Pauling's Cheltenham base, and it is already paying dividends. The 2m½f contest was won by subsequent Grade 2 Aintree bumper winner Dysart Enos 12 months ago, and the daughter of Diamond Boy is to follow the same path according to Pauling. The Gloucestershire trainer, who introduced another nice bumper prospect in the shape of Sixmilebridge at Sandown last Saturday, said: "This mare has done most of her work with Sixmilebridge, but he would have more toe than her. "She's always been a lovely prospect after she came off the box and has always been very professional. We got that in spades today and we'll have a look at the mares' bumper at Aintree after that." A huge team effort and a massive thank you to everyone involved. ‘It takes a village’ the saying goes & we’re very lucky with ours.
Onwards! Sixmilebridge could be added to trainer Ben Pauling’s small but select team for next month’s Cheltenham Festival following an impressive debut at Sandown last weekend.
The Naunton Downs handler is fast approaching the 50-winner mark for the current campaign and has unearthed several exciting prospects who are under consideration for the showpiece meeting in the Cotswolds in five weeks’ time. Pauling is particularly strong in the novice hurdle division, with Fiercely Proud and The Jukebox Man both placed in graded company and the unbeaten Handstands and dual winner Tellherthename both facing crucial tests this week in the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon and Betfair Hurdle at Newbury respectively. Point-to-point recruit Sixmilebridge was unraced under rules prior to running in Sandown’s bumper finale on Saturday, but was backed as if plenty was expected and duly justified favouritism with an impressive victory, teeing himself up for a potential tilt at the Champion Bumper. “In everything he’s done at home he’s been impressive,” said Pauling. “He’s not a keen horse, he’s just a good work horse, and we’ve struggled with him throughout the whole season in getting his lung health spot-on. “He still wasn’t spot-on on Saturday, but it had got to the point in the season where we either rolled the dice to see how we got on or we shut up shop for the season. We decided to roll the dice and we were delighted to see what we got because there’s probably a fair bit of improvement to come when he’s 100 per cent healthy. “If I can get his trach wash clean, he would be the sort that I would roll at the Cheltenham bumper because he seems to have that mental attitude you need and travels well without being too keen – he looks like he knows his job. “We might let him roll in the Cheltenham bumper, which would be unusual for me, but I do think he’s potentially a bit special.” Sixmilebridge’s victory was the second leg of a Sandown double for Pauling and his owners the Megson family, with the tricky but talented Harper’s Brook striking gold in a valuable handicap chase. The eight-year-old had thrown away victory on his previous outing at Ascot when pulling himself up on the run-in, but having got the job done on Saturday, he too is Festival-bound. Pauling added: “He is a horse with enormous ability, an unbelievable stride and the scope he has is just mad, but he is a bit of a character to say the least, so any day you get his head in front is a good day. “I was thrilled with the way he travelled through the race off a strong pace. He was nearly taken out at the third-last by the loose horse and it was unfortunate at the last for the other horse to fall, but we can now look forward to going to Cheltenham with an exciting horse for the Grand Annual. “He’s been given a mark of 140 which is spot-on as it’ll get you in, but you’ll be near the bottom of the weights. I couldn’t be happier with him.” Harry Redknapp-owned The Jukebox Man has not been seen in competitive action since finishing third in the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury in late December, but he is also on Pauling’s Prestbury Park teamsheet. “Jukebox will go straight to Cheltenham and I’d say he’s more of an Albert Bartlett horse than a Baring Bingham horse,” the trainer said. “If the Baring Bingham came up on proper heavy ground then I’d probably stick at two-and-a-half, but I think he’s probably more of a three-miler. “He ran a blinder in the Challow. It was pretty tough going that day and they went a proper, honest gallop considering the conditions. “I just thought that even though that he seems great at home, he could do with a proper opportunity to freshen up. He’s in really good form and I think he’s only going to improve.” Harper's Brook survived a few scares in a dramatic running of the 1m7½f handicap chase to kickstart a double for Ben Pauling and Ben Jones.
In an eventful finish, the eight-year-old was hampered at the third-last by loose horse Saint Segal before pecking on landing at the penultimate fence. He soon recovered and was in contention alongside In Excelsis Deo before being left to canter home after his chief rival unseated his rider at the last. "He's got his head in front, which is great because he's got a lot of ability," said Pauling. "We all love him to pieces because he's a bit of a rogue. "He almost got taken out completely and then almost fell at the second-last before somehow coming back on the bridle again before the last." Pauling and Jones doubled up when Sixmilebridge, carrying the same colours, won the bumper by two and three-quarter lengths from Juby Ball. Awaythelad (Getaway) battles bravely under a good ride from our Conditional Jockey Beau Morgan to take the win at Leicester. A last start winner, Awaythelad had to dig deep when challenged to the line but kept on well and took connections back to the winners enclosure.
Congratualtions to all connections. Henry's Friend (Shirocco) put in a classy jumping display at Hereford to take his owners, the Troup's back to the winning enclosure with a second win on the bounce.
Congratulations to all connections, a fun one to watch! The striking son of Blue Bresil has had to be patient for his first run. Falling victim to three 'false starts' with various meetings being abandoned due to the weather, this highly anticipated first run for Les's Destiny Star was worth the wait for owner Les Del La Hay.
As a Jersey resident it takes a bit of organising for Les to ensure he is the right side of the water for his runners but his patience this season paid dividends as his short-priced favourite confirmed what we'd been seeing at home and put pay to his rivals to give Ben Jones and the team a Doncaster double! The recently formed Pour Decisions syndicate had great reason to let the champagne flow during their Sunday roasts as Champagne Twist put in a stylish jumping display for a six and a half length victory at Doncaster.
Twister as he's known colloquially was bought from the Goff's Doncaster sale by Ben in May last year. He arrived back to Naunton Downs when the syndicate was then formed. Proving to be alot of fun, this classy galloper has already taken the syndicate to Ascot and Cheltenham and been competitive in all three of his starts with a fourth, a second and now a very good win! We are very much looking forward to this chap's future (and of course the champagne celebrations!) In the first Full Circle Series qualifier to be held in England it was Sun Joy who booked his spot in the Punchestown racecourse initiative.
The flashy chestnut Sun Joy, purchased from Deauville last year, sports the infamous navy, pink and green colours of the Champion Salmon Spray, indeed racing under the ownership of The Salmon Spray Partnership. Sun Joy's nifty jumping style stood in good stead to be competitive in the 2m 1/2f hurdle but it was when headed just before two out that his dogged determination under Ben Jones really kicked in and the duo kept on gamely to clinch the win. The Full Circle Series final will be held on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival at the end of April - a trip across the ditch could just be in store for this little pocket rocket! Bought from the 2022 Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale, the five year old son of Kayf Tara meant business in the finale at Newbury. Showcasing a strong desire to win, Roysse was held well by Ben Jones until a furlong out where they comfortably cruised to the line for an impressive win.
The Megson's beautifully sum up what it means to own a horse like Global Citizen.
"Global Citizen - wow, what a horse! An absolute priviledge to own and watch him run in our colours. Global is retired, age 12, to enjoy a fantastic life of luxury, fun and care. Global won three Grade 2 races, the Dovecote, The New One and The Wayward Lad, the Grade 3 Gerry Fielden and was fourth in the Grade 1 Arkle at Cheltenham in 2020 after Brewinupastorm fell in front of him and stopped him in his tracks. We will never forget when as a 33/1 outsider (still can't believe those odds - thank you bookmakers!) Global won the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2022. The emotion of Global being both our first Cheltenham and Festival winner was indescribable. The conversations with Ben before the race as to whether we should run on bottomless ground now seem quite amusing. Global's success was strategised and plotted by Ben and his team who after a couple of setbacks always managed to get him back for the big ones. What will live long in the memory is Global's absolute determination not to be passed, running with his head held into his chest and more often than not, running the field off the bridle incredibly early with his searing speed. Thank you Global, for everything. We can't wait to see what retirement brings, you will be found the best home. We can't tell you how much we will miss you in the yard, miss you running and seeing you destroy the gallops and Naunton Downs". Written by Andrew and Jane Megson on the retirement of their Champion. Global Citizen has retired sound and healthy is currently being retrained in our satellite yard by Lucy Jackson. As the Megson's say, Global will be found the best of homes and we look forward to seeing his accomplishments after racing. Ben Pauling declared Tellherthename (Malinas) "as good as I've had" after his impressive return to winning ways in the 2m Novice Hurdle at Huntingdon today.
Pauling said: "Make no mistake, Tellherthename is as good as I've had and it's a massice win for the Megsons, who are our biggest supporters. He's a class horse and this may have looked like a procession but it was anything but. "He may go for the Betfair Hurdle if the ground is right. If not, he'll go straight for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, he's that good." Kielan Woods described Tellherthename as the best horse he's ever ridden when successful on the five-year-old at Huntingdon in November and after another comfortable success, the jockey said: "He's still the best and I don't know what went wrong at Aintree last time. Maybe it was the ground which was pretty desperate." David Milnes, Racing Post Personal Ambition back to winners circle after a smart jumping effort under Kielan Woods at Doncaster. The 5YO son of Sandmason led from the off and crossed the line 8.5 lengths ahead of the rest. A smart future prospect for the Maclennan's.
Article by Coolmore, 8/1/2024
Handstands (Getaway) extends his unbeaten record with another smart performance in Saturday's Novices' Hurdle at Newcastle. The son of Getaway sold to Kilbride Equine for £135,000 following a successful start for Patrick Turley, and went on to run out a comfortable winner on his first start for Ben Pauling last month. He was sent off favourite to follow up over two and a half miles, with Ben Jones riding him to chase the leader for much of the way. Easing into the lead with four flights to jump, he began to draw clear from the second last and went on to win by seven lengths. Speaking after the race, Ben Pauling said, "The plan was to run Handstands and gain more experience, and Ben said when the others crowded him down the back straight he found plenty. He couldn't have done it any easier and we may look at the Listed Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle at Huntingdon on February 8th after that." Owned by TP Radford, Handstands was bred by Brendan and Mark Fitzpatrick out of a half-sister to black-type winner Snake Eyes (Oscar). Awaythelad (Getaway) puts pay to his rivals at Ludlow and gets his head infront under a steady ride from Kielan Woods. Thank you to his patient group of owners, delighted he repaid your faith in him.
Congratulations to all! Harry Redknapp was nowhere to be seen but the sight of trainer Ben Pauling laughing into a mobile phone told you the legendary football manager was happy. As ever at Cheltenham, stories were thrown up left, right and centre but none were more rapturously received than the one involving Redknapp and his valiant chaser Shakem Up’Arry, who powered up the famous hill to give him one of his greatest days as an owner. The 10-year-old, who had been without a win since December 2022, has caused Pauling to pull his hair out at times and the trainer wasn’t overly confident about his chances but, under a super ride from Ben Jones, the horse Redknapp bought for £24,400 in 2014 capitalised on a wretched run from odds-on favourite Stage Star. ‘It’s great for Harry, he’s a big supporter of mine and I’m delighted we’ve been able to land a big one,’ said Pauling. ‘Sadly, Sandra (his wife) isn’t well, she has a bit of flu, so he didn’t want to leave her. But this is definitely a special day.’ An extra layer to the success was provided by Jones, who was partnering his first Cheltenham winner, and Pauling added: ‘Harry was chuffed to pieces. He is a competitive man; you are not in the industry he’s been in all his life to come second. It means a lot to everyone. ‘I’d say this is his biggest day as an owner. It is important to have them. I wondered whether we were going back into waters that we had swam in before and would end up with the same result but that was a proper job.’ "It's great for Harry, he's a big supporter of mine and I'm delighted we've been able to land a big one" said Pauling. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year from all of us at team BPR!
Rounding off 2023 with Henry's Friend making our last runner for the year a winning one! As we reflect on a wonderful 2023 for team BPR we'd like to take this opportunity to thank our amazing owners for their continued support. It is a real honor to train the quality of horse that Naunton Downs is home to and we are so excited to see what 2024 has in store. Thank you to our team. Never a dull moment with you lot around! We are very proud of our BPR team, their dedication not only to their jobs and our horses but also to each other. There is no better feeling that celebrating our wins together! Lastly but certainly not least, to our horses. Without who we would not be able to call our passion our job. Adios 2023, bring on 2024! Proudly sponsored by Fitzdares. Henry's Friend dug deep at Newbury to make our final runner for 2023 a winning one!
Bangers and Cash & The Jukebox Man both ran huge races to finish third respectively. Congratulations to the Troup family on your win & connections of all three runners, our boys did us proud! It’s always fantastic to see the famous Aldaniti colours in the winners enclosure but today was made even more special by having The Good Doctor's owner Valda Embiricos on course to watch her lovely horse win well.
Huge congratulations to all involved. |
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