We get the lowdown on Ben Pauling's 2026 Cheltenham Festival team which includes leading Gold Cup contender The Jukebox Man plus several exciting novices and strong chances in the handicaps.
It has already been a season to savour for trainer Ben Pauling, but he will be looking to build on that when sending what he feels is his best ever team to this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
Pauling said: “It is the best team I’ve had going to the Cheltenham Festival. There are horses going there that are our third, fourth and best chance of the week that would normally be leading the way, and that in itself says we have got a better team.
“We have got a lot of nice horses that are coming to the fore this season. I think we are going to field a relatively small, ten, twelve or maybe fourteen strong team for Cheltenham, but I would expect everyone of them to go there and run a good race. The Jukebox Man will spearhead the team, and he will rightly take a lot of the limelight, but it is not just a one-horse team."
BEN PAULING CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL TEAM 2026
DIVA LUNA (Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase)
“Thankfully her bang has come right. We had to give her two full weeks off when she rapped her joint. It was a pain in the backside as she missed the Scilly Isles, which had been her aim all season. To be honest I was toying with the idea of saying shall we just finish there.
“We chucked her in the spa for ten days and the joint has come back good, and everyone is happy, but I’m now needing to get a lot of work into her. All of a sudden she has just come alive again and she has come spot on.
“She had a racecourse gallop at Warwick on Friday and she went through it very nicely. She took a blow fifty yards from the line, which is fine, as that will put her straight as she is a very clean winded filly.
“She will go for the Mares’ Chase. She is so unexposed and she is two out of two over fences. She is a very likeable filly so hopefully she can be competitive. "There are some incredibly good mares in there, but I think she can take them on.
“She has got a bit to find with Dinoblue, but hopefully she can step up. She deserves her chance in the race.
“She ran well at the meeting last year to finish third in the mares’ novices’ hurdle and won around there on New Year’s Day so she obviously acts around the track. If she goes there this year and is bang on then she will give it her best.”
FIERCELY PROUD (Cup Handicap Hurdle/Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle)
“He won the handicap hurdle at Ascot ten days ago. I had been dying to run him over two and a half miles for a long time. There were a few different opinions between ourselves and the owners as to whether he would stay or not.
“It just looked like over two miles we weren’t going anywhere so I was delighted he showed the form he did at Ascot. He is a little bit of an in and out character, but on his day he is very good. Kielan Woods gets on particularly well with him and he will go for either what was the Coral Cup or the Martin Pipe.”
HANDSTANDS (Ultima Handicap Chase/Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase/Ryanair Chase/Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup)
“I’m this horse’s biggest fan. I don’t think he has had any luck this season whatsoever. He looked rusty at Carlisle. He came second, but he should have been fifth. You can’t jump fences at that speed and expect to win.
“He hung badly up the home straight after travelling and jumping well in the Betfair. Although Ben (Jones) hadn’t heard any issues with his wind he had his wind checked and his palate was quite unstable so we have had that fixed.
“I took him to Lambourn for a piece of work and it was lethargic. I said to Tim (Radford, owner) that he hasn’t worked the house down.
“We came back relatively quickly to the Fleur de Lys, probably a piece or two short trying to give eight pounds to Protektorat.
"He has not run a bad race all season and he is in particularly good order now. On the back of the Fleur de Lys he has come alive. He has come out of that race like a bull in a China shop and he is a totally different animal.
“His work has been brilliant and he worked well after racing on Friday. I had him down last season as an equal to The Jukebox Man, and in fact Handstands had by far the best form.
“He had beaten Jango Baie in the Sidney Banks and the Scilly Isles. Jango Baie is 9/2 for a Gold Cup and we are 100/1. I’m not saying we are going to go for a Gold Cup as it is a competitive race, and there are a lot of people that say he is a two and a half miler.
“I don’t think he will go for the Plate. If Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior end up in the Gold Cup you could very easily see him in a Ryanair. If it's not that I would probably try and carry topweight in an Ultima. If everyone turns up for the Gold Cup there is probably no point.
“If it was a weaker Ryanair I think it might be quite fun. If it did cut up he would be a genuine runner in there and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was very competitive. "We might even think about popping a pair of cheekpieces on him.
“I do personally think he is a three miler. He won a Scilly Isles on bottomless ground around Sandown Park and that to me says, as he has got a year older, that he has got to stay three miles. All his best form is over two and a half miles, but I think he will stay as far as you want him to stay. Wherever he goes he has just got to jump and travel.
“The positives for a Ryanair would be it is a small field, and he would probably get his own way. The negatives about the handicaps is you will have a twenty plus runner field and the horse hasn’t run in a race like that in his life. On the flip side if you are graded horse in a handicap, it doesn’t matter if you have top weight, you should win.”
KICOUR LA (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle)
“He won his first two novice hurdles well at Leicester. I honestly couldn’t see him getting beaten in the River Don at Doncaster.
"He didn’t go a yard there, but he hated the tacky ground so you can write it off. We will roll the dice in the Albert Bartlett as the owners are keen to have a go. He will definitely outrun his odds, but he is a proper chaser for next season.”
LANESBOROUGH (Cup Handicap Hurdle/Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle)
“I’m not sure he will be going and I’m in two minds with this lad. He was very good early doors.
"I thought he would win the Lanzarote, but he scared himself over the first two or three hurdles. He got out of his ground and then finished fifth.
“The other day he ran in the William Hill at Newbury, and again he went okay, but that ground out there was just atrocious. He was still there at three out but he finished seventh in the end, beaten a country mile, but everything was behind Tutti Quanti.
“He is still the right side of the handicapper, but he might need an easier assignment if I’m honest with you. If he ended up in one thing I suspect it would be the Martin Pipe.”
MAMBONUMBERFIVE (Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase/Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase/Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase/Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase)
“We were all disappointed with Warwick in the Kingmaker. He was so progressive early season and I blamed myself straight away thinking we had run him too many times as a young horse. He has come out of it in great form.
“Basically jumping is his asset and in all of his other races he had been making on average about five lengths a fence and at Warwick he lost an average of six lengths every fence.
“I thought he would love heavy ground, but I think I’m wrong. He is French, and he jumps very fast and accurately and I think he was still trying to use the same technique on heavy ground and I think he was meeting them halfway up.
“If he is in really good form he will go to Cheltenham, but if not he will wait for the two and a half mile Grade One at Aintree. He has been up for a schooling session with Laura Collett since and he was just electric. I think he is a lovely horse for the future. For a five-year-old he is just massive.
“We’ve said all season that he will be better over a trip. He has now got an entry in the Jack Richards and the Plate. A novice in the Plate is probably slightly feeling right to me.
"He has ended up running four times by default, but he has got handy handicap form. What he doesn’t want is a three runner race where he is floating around at the back on heavy ground being uncompetitive.
“That is where I’m leaning, but his owners might want to keep him in novice company, win, lose or draw.”
MEETMEBYTHESEA (Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase)
“He is a very nice and likeable horse. I think he will become a really smart horse for the future hopefully.
"He has been running over two miles, but I think he will benefit for the step up in trip. He is a likeable individual that has got a good attitude.
“He couldn’t handle the ground at Newbury last time out in the Game Spirit. For a big horse I think he wants a bit better ground. He won on heavy ground despite not enjoying it up at Ayr.
“He is a nice horse that is in good form. Hopefully he is a nice one to look forward to in years to come.”
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MONDOUI’BOY (Turners Novices’ Hurdle/Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle)
“He has done nothing wrong at all since joining us. He came out of the David Maxwell dispersal. I didn’t really know too much about him, but he seemed a nice type.
“Ludlow was grand and Ascot was good. He has come out of that race and he seems like he has come alive. He seems incredibly fresh and well. He is in the Turners and the Albert Bartlett.
“I’m not certain that he is an Albert Bartlett horse, but he might end up running in it. Jon Pullin (Cheltenham clerk of the course) said yesterday that it was soft, heavy in places on the Old Course and soft on the New Course.
"If it was to end up being that ground I don’t think he is a horse that, although I think he would stay every yard of either trip, doesn’t need a slog.
“It will be a late call I think as to which way he goes.”
NO QUESTIONS ASKED (Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase/Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase/Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase/Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase)
“He has had a brilliant season. It was a very odd race in the Lightning at Windsor. They went so fast it looked like he had no hope but then he came and caught Be Aware on the line. How that form will work out I don’t know.
"He is still in the Arkle. I think the way this lad is ridden you could probably nick a bit of money and try and find third or forth as we don’t expect to be beating Kopek Des Bordes or Lulamba.
“It depends what mood the owners are in and what appetite they have got to take that one on. He is very short in the Grand Annual, and he is also in the Jack Richards and the Plate.
“I think he is as effective over two and a half miles as he is two miles. His form would tell him he is a better two miler at the moment. I’m sweet on him as he is in very good nick.
“He has had a lovely preparation and all the timeframes have worked. He looks like he is coming to himself particularly well at the moment.”
ONEWAYWEST (Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle)
“He goes to the Pertemps Final. He was very progressive early in the season.
"I was actually really pleased with the run at Huntingdon where he just got nabbed on the line by Ace Of Spades.
"I’m desperate for him to run in a race where they go a decent gallop. He doesn’t have to make the running, but he is a pretty free going individual.
“I would love to see him come from off a quick pace. I’m not going to say he will win a Pertemps, but I don’t think he will be miles out the back. I think he will be competitive to a level.”
PADDOCKWOOD (McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle)
“He has come from France and he is already qualified for the McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. He seems nice, but I don’t know much about him. It is one of those silly stabs in the dark.
“It is hard work to expect a horse to come over from France and be competitive in a race like this within a month. They are a great new bunch of owners so we will see how we go.”
PERSONAL AMBITION (Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase)
“He beat Jango Baie in the Premier Hurdle not so long back and he is a good horse. I put him in for a bone scan after his run at Ascot as I was so worried as he wasn’t doing it as there was something physically not sound.
“It came back he was absolutely fine so we put the blinkers on and off he went. It looks like they will work again and then I will take them off because once I’ve convinced him it is more fun trying than not.
“I’m not sure about the Grand Annual. I think he is a horse that thrives in small fields. I should have run him in the Pendil, but I didn’t.”
PIC ROC (Ultima Handicap Chase/National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase)
“He is a horse with loads of ability, but he is probably not the world’s best jumper. He is a bit of an arrogant creature so that is going to probably stop him from being as good as he could be.
"He was very good around Sandown Park the other day and I think Ben (Jones) has worked out the way to ride him. I think he'd be very competitive in a National Hunt Chase as he will stay every yard of the trip.”
TAURUS BAY (Turners Novices’ Hurdle)
“He is only in the Turners as I took him out of the Supreme. He is a very talented horse, but he is still a shell of a horse at the moment. Even though he is in the Turners I want to see a little bit more condition on him before I go and roll the dice.
“If I go there he will be ready to go there, but he could be Aintree bound; I’m not sure. I think he is a proper chaser for next season.
“I think he is genuinely out of the top draw. He is going to be a better horse with a summer on his back. He is a horse that I’ve always told Harry (Redknapp, joint-owner) that we have to mind the whole time as with too much racing now he will just melt away.
“We will see how he is over the next couple of weeks and if he is cherry ripe then he will join the team at Cheltenham in the Turners.”
THE JUKEBOX KID (National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase)
“He is a lovely horse that has got a lot to come. He is still in the National Hunt Chase, but I’m still very tempted by the Irish Grand National with him.
“He has come out of the Reynoldstown at Ascot really well so he is probably worth thinking about the National Hunt Chase with.
“But I’m pretty sure that I want to go to Ireland with him, and I don’t often want to go to Ireland with anything.”
THE JUKEBOX MAN (Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup)
“This whole season was geared around getting him to the King George. It was a nerve wracking return in the autumn as he had his injury and you never know how they are going to react to having had an injury.
“It was a steady start and we didn’t just drop the handbrake and drive him flat out. We brought him back slowly. We were nervous that he wasn’t fit enough for Haydock Park, but he did it nicely.
“The King George was an exceptional day, but off the back of the King George, Harry and I had already discussed for a long time that if we were lucky enough to run well in a King George that we would probably have to look at a Gold Cup.
“He has come out of the King George very well, and better than I ever expected. Had I wanted to I could have probably put a Denman Chase in there, but I don’t think we needed to. We know him very well and we know what he needs to be doing to be absolutely cherry ripe.
“I personally think this will be a much better test for him than the King George. He won the Kauto Star and we thought, great he likes Kempton Park, but I think he likes any track as he is very uncomplicated.
“He goes through his races sweetly and he jumps, touchwood, very well, and that is key to these top class three mile plus chases as you have to be able to jump and travel.
“If you are behind the bridle, or missing fences, it will be hard work. There are people that will want to ask the question of him getting collared over three miles in the Albert Bartlett, but I think if you look back at that race he was ridden fairly positively.
“He was out on his own for three miles. He kicked for home plenty early enough and then bundled over the last. I think it was the perfect race for two miles and six furlongs and probably the worst race for the last two furlongs.
“I firmly believe he will stay. In fact I would actually suggest that he will be far more effective over this trip than he would be around a sharp three miles at Kempton Park.
“From the back of three out I thought he would win the King George relatively comfortably and from the back of three out until the last they didn’t just gain on us, but he was behind again. It was only his tenacity and will to win that got his head back in front near the line.
“I personally think the one thing I’m not deluded about is that the performances he has put up to date do not win a Gold Cup, traditionally. The King George we had a lot more questions to answer as he was still only rated one hundred and fifty five.
“He had some nice form in behind, but it was hardly Grade One form, and I was well aware of that. He had to step forward fifteen pounds, and he did. If he can improve again he will be competitive, but he needs to. He needs to run to a mark of one hundred and seventy five to win a Gold Cup so he is seven pounds short at the moment.
“Having a horse of his calibre in the form, touchwood, that he seems to be going into the Gold Cup is an exceptionally exciting thing for the whole team. Doing it with a man like Harry, who is a bit of a national treasure, but who we have had a great relationship for the past seven or eight years is a special thing for all of us
“I just hope we can get him there in the form that he can be as then he can give us one hell of a day and the opportunity to pick up the big one."
VANDERPOEL (Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase)
“He has got the profile of an improving novice which is always helpful in a race like the Grand Annual. He didn’t turn up for the first two runs of the season to be honest with you.
“I thought he was going to be one of my best novice chasers and I must admit after he ran at Lingfield I was mightily disappointed and I thought he was going nowhere. At Ascot he looked a little bit lethargic early doors then all of a sudden the race set up very nicely for him and he won. He then looked much better horse around Sandown Park the other day.
“We will go there and look forward to it. He is in very good order, and if he gets a nice passage he would have a right squeak. I would have had him down as my Arkle hope at the start of the season. He has got the ability to be a bit higher than his current mark, it is the right time to have a go at a handicap like this."
Cheltenham Festival 2026: Stable Tours
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