We spoke to Ben Pauling about three horses he’s looking forward to running at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
Big hope for the week?
HANDSTANDS. He's a horse we only actually bought in November and he won his first two in relatively calm waters. Then we sent him into the Sydney Banks, which he did nicely.
He's not a horse we know much about in the way of how far he can go as he doesn't really show you an awful lot at home and in his races he's just done what he's needed to do. So, he's in very good order and hopefully, if he runs, he'll give a good account of himself.
Willoughby Court (Pauling’s previous winner of Baring Bingham) was sort of a bit of a different horse. He lived on the edge. This lad is at home wherever he is, you know, he doesn't really worry about much in life. But they are similar types in the fact that I think they probably find a little bit when needed.
Supreme start to the Festival?
We really fancied TELLHERTHENAME for the Betfair Hurdle and I’m really happy with him ahead of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
I was desperate for a little bit of drying ground, but it didn't happen. And we said if the ground isn't ideal, he won't be going. So we are here without that run, so he was last seen in the middle of January, I suppose.
But he did a good piece of work in midweek at Kempton and I couldn't be happier with him. Hopefully we're in a great place to get him there on the first day of the meeting.
Could Redknapp score in a handicap?
SHAKEM UP'ARRY has a couple of options in the handicaps and he’s a horse that I’ve always had the ultimate faith in.
He’s getting older in years now, but he's still very much a lightly-raced horse. He won well on New Year's Day and it was always the plan to come straight here. He goes well fresh, he's in good form, he also worked well at Kempton on Tuesday.
I think he's an improved horse from last year because of the wind op we did with him in the summer, so I'm hoping for a big run and it will hopefully give Harry Redknapp something to shout about.
I think every owner would love the limelight of having a Cheltenham Festival runner or winner, but Harry's a great fellow. I get on seriously well with him, we speak an awful lot, not just about the horses, about everything. He's just a good man and if we could get any of my owners a winner, that would be great. But I know Harry would really enjoy it as well.
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