'He could be very interesting in the Betfair Hurdle'

This stable tour was originally printed in the Racing Post Weekender on Wednesday, January 27. Buy the Weekender every week for top stable tours and great insight from weekly columnist Alan King.

The last 12 months have tested the resolve of trainer Ben Pauling, whose career had been on an upward trajectory only for a mystery virus to strike the yard last season and leave everyone scratching their heads.

“We still haven’t found a reason. Every time they had their trachea washes they would come back clean and healthy but obviously something was wrong. As a result in the final few months we trained them differently to get them through the season, but it still remains a mystery.

“Thankfully, everything is back on track and things are where we want them ahead of our move to a new stable this summer. The new yard will have 96 boxes [13 more than the current base] and is only three miles down the road at Naunton.”

Many people were glad to see the back of 2020 but the new year has resulted in the Pauling yard striking red-hot form with 25 per cent of their runners winning.

“We had a quiet October by our standards but they have really picked up since. To have 27 in the bag by mid-January is superb. That’s already nine ahead of last season and we’re on track to surpass our previous best of 44 winners [2018-19].

“Obviously, we’re looking forward to the move but what’s particularly exciting is we’re assembling a very nice team of youngsters, particularly among the bumper horses, as I reckon I have around ten who are well above average and will be interesting when they go into the novice hurdle division next term.

“I’m delighted they’re all running so well again, but particularly for the owners who were wonderful during the dark days of last season. Everyone was so supportive that it’s great to see the winners coming in for them again.”

Anightinlambourn
7 b m Gold Well – Madgehil
I’ve always thought she possessed plenty of ability, but things hadn’t gone her way every time. I felt she needed further, so we dropped her in over 2m5f at Warwick, which she didn’t enjoy. We reverted to 2m last time at Wincanton, which was much more to her liking, and she won well. While the ground [soft] is to her liking we’ll stick to 2m or 2m2f and I feel she could be quite a progressive mare. I’m not sure how far she can rise but there are more races to be won with her.

Apple Rock
7 b g Royal Anthem – Wayward Cove
He’s doing well this season with wins at Carlisle and earlier this month at Hereford, both over 2m4f. He needs to be ridden cold as he pulls too hard if he’s too close to the pace. He’s a strong horse who will progress over hurdles before going chasing next season.

Artemision
5 b g Gentlewave – Miss Fahrenheit
He’s a lovely young horse who was fourth on his debut at Ffos Las in October before a fair third at Ludlow on his hurdling debut. He has subsequently had his wind tweaked, which I’m expecting to make a big difference. He should be out when the ground improves and I’ve no doubt he’ll win his maiden and can progress from there.

Bangers And Cash
5 b g Fame And Glory – Cash Customer
He’s just a fabulous horse to have around the team. He’s still big, weak and raw but ran a cracker at Southwell last month when second over 2m4f. He subsequently got stuck in the mud at Hereford and we’ll wait for better ground next time. I think he’ll make a nice chasing prospect next season.

Big Difference
8 b g Presenting – Roque De Cyborg
He’s been penalised for being genuine, having started this season on a mark of 108 and three races later he’s winless but 6lb higher in the handicap, thanks to two second placings in handicap chases. I think 3m is possibly his trip but he wouldn’t appreciate bog-like conditions. When he gets his ground I’m sure we can find him a race or two to win. I see him progressing to being a 125-130 handicapper in time.

Bobby Bow
7 b g Frammassone – Bramble Cottage
He has always pleased me at home and I was delighted with his first run for us when successful in a Hexham maiden hurdle over 2m4f on heavy ground. After that he was far too keen at Southwell and was a spent force at the finish. He has been given an opening mark of 115, which I think is very workable as he should be up to winning a couple of hurdles this season and hopefully will do better as a novice chaser next season.

Conceal
6 ch g Stowaway – Babyshan
This Highclere Thoroughbred Racing-owned gelding has always shown me plenty of ability at home but is yet to get his head in front after five runs under rules. He’s a fine, big individual who needs to strengthen up still. He didn’t appreciate the very heavy conditions last week at Chepstow but I haven’t lost faith in him and think he could have a bright future.

Delire D’Estruval
8 b g Youmzain – Question D’Estruval
He has been a good servant to us with six wins, three over fences. We’ve had his wind operated on and he seems in much better shape now. He hasn’t run this season but the plan is to return for the better races in the spring. With a rating of 146 he’d be a possible for the Stable Plate at Cheltenham but he’s made for the Topham at Aintree, which would be on our radar. I hope to give him a prep run in the next fortnight.

Del La Mar Rocket
5 b g Fame And Glory – Pipe Lady
He’s among our better bumper horses. He made his debut last November in a Carlisle bumper when second, beaten half a length. Ours never do much before their debuts, so I expected decent improvement last week for his second run at Exeter and he didn’t let us down, winning by 14 lengths. The ground was heavy, which he appeared to handle with the minimum of fuss. Another big plus has been his schooling over hurdles, which has been exceptional, and he could be an exciting novice next season. We’ll keep him to bumpers this season, but I don’t know where he’ll go next. There are a few Listed bumpers but I think the Newbury one next month is a little quick after Exeter. It could be that we go for another small race with a penalty next time. Interestingly, although he works nicely he wouldn’t show as much as he does on the racecourse, which in my experience is the sign of a smart horse.

Dock Road
5 ch g Shirocco – Representing
A lovely young horse who runs in the famous green and gold of JP McManus. We weren’t expecting much on his debut at Exeter in November as he’s very laid back at home but he was only just beaten by a decent sort [Ranch Hand]. Obviously after that we hoped he’d be competitive on his next run, again at Exeter, and he got up on the line to beat the well-regarded Karl Philippe having been headed at the last. That was over 2m1f but I’m convinced he’ll improve for a trip and we could look for a similar race next. He’s a lovely chaser in the making.

Fawsley Spirit
8 b g Stowaway – Apple Trix
He’s a completely rejuvenated individual this season as we’ve been training him in a different manner, largely away from the string, and he seems much happier. He fell out of love with the game, so we ran him in a point-to-point to get help him get his confidence back and it appears to have worked the oracle with him. He won well at Market Rasen this month and is clearly going the right way. He’s had a couple of proper tests on heavy ground, so I’m in no rush to get him back on track. He would have won at Ascot two starts ago when he fell at the last in front. He went up 5lb for that and has gone up a further 7lb to 121 now. In his mind he has won the last two and is in a great place. I can see more progress from him as long as we keep him happy.

Fine Casting
5 b g Shantou – Fine Fortune
We really have a terrific bunch of bumper horses this season and this one is among the best of them. After a very good second at Warwick in a race from which I believe the form will work out well, we were very hopeful when we went to Newbury last week for what looked another hot contest. Daryl [Jacob] took no prisoners leading from the off and setting a good pace. He had them all in trouble a quarter of a mile from home and ran out an impressive winner, with some distance back to the third. We’ll give him some time to get over that but we’ll have to look at the top-class bumpers in the spring now.

Global Citizen
9 b g Alkaadhem – Lady Willmurt
He has been a fine servant for the yard with six wins under his belt. He had a very good campaign last season, which included a three-length victory over Silver Streak in the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock. This term he has failed to fire but we’ve worked on a few issues, which I hope has put him back on track. He’ll have one run over hurdles and then return to fences for something serious, possibly over 2m4f at Aintree.

Global Citizen will be heading up to Aintree in the springCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Guardino
5 br g Authorized – Monicker
He looked a nice prospect on his only point-to-point outing 12 months ago at Oldtown. On his rules debut at Carlisle he ran below expectations but came back with a dirty trachea wash. He’s an exceptionally talented horse who’ll remain in bumpers this season. He should be out again in three weeks’ time.

Honor Grey
6 b g Flemensfirth – Rose Island
Last week at Ayr he ran over 2m4f on heavy ground and, having whipped around at the start which caused him to lose several lengths, he ran a cracker as he stayed on stoutly up the home straight to finish second. His jumping was much improved on that occasion and he could be an interesting runner in something like the EBF Final at Sandown off a very nice mark.

Imperial Knight
9 b g Mahler – And Whatever Else
He’s consistently running well without winning [form figures 2033] and the race at Ayr last week was there for the taking but disappointingly he couldn’t. In hindsight 3m was too far on heavy ground, so we’ll drop him back to 2m4f next time with cheekpieces fitted and see if that can help him get his head in front. I always felt he would progress but he’s clearly suffering a crisis of confidence and we need to get a win out of him.

Kildisart
9 b g Dubai Destination – Princess Mairead
A terrific servant for the yard who missed out on a memorable win at last year’s Cheltenham Festival when a neck second in the Ultima Handicap Chase. He ran in the Ladbrokes Trophy this season but unfortunately has picked up a minor injury, which is enough to keep him out for the rest of the season. It’s nothing major and he’ll be back next season fit and ready.