Ben Pauling has raised the prospect of Mambonumberfive potentially locking horns with Lulamba outside of the Cheltenham Festival in the Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick.
The Grade 2 test on February 7 has been earmarked by trainer Nicky Henderson as a possible target for current Arkle favourite Lulamba, who made it two wins from two over fences in the Grade One Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown Park.
However, Naunton Downs handler Pauling has also identified the two-mile test as his preferred option for the son of Born To Sea, who completed a hat-trick of wins over fences in the Grade Two Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park last month.
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But should Mambonumberfive swerve a trip to Warwick he could line up at the same level in either the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on the same day or the Ladbrokes Pendil Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park on February 21.
Speaking from Warwick on New Year's Eve, Pauling said: “He is unbearably fresh already. We will probably come here for the Kingmaker, but we will look at the Game Spirit as well, and there is the Pendil if we want to go two and a half miles.
"It will be a case of having one more run before having a crack at the Arkle. Our options are limited now as he is rated 146 so I don’t think he will be running in handicaps.
“I don’t think we need to necessarily come up against Lulamba straigh taway, but I will be looking forward to having a crack at him at some point. He is obviously a very good horse, but we are becoming a very good horse in our own right.
“I’d love to go to Warwick with him on a bit of soft ground and maybe if Lulamba comes here we still will, but he is in great order."
Redknapp runners to keep rolling?
An appearance on Festival Trials Day on January 24 beckons for Taurus Bay will step up to an extended two and a half miles for an outing in the Grade Two AIS Novices’ Hurdle.
The Poet’s Word gelding, who is owned by former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp and Geoff Hill, appears to possess a touch of star quality after backing up his debut win under rules at Stratford at Aintree last month.
Pauling added: “Taurus Bay is most likely going to go to Trials Day. He looks fresh as a daisy after Aintree and he is ready to go again.
“He is just a very straightforward horse. I don’t think he is a Supreme horse, but he is a lovely horse that will stay well and we are looking forward to this. It would be nice if he could end up in the Turners at the Festival.”
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