Can 'very talented' Handstands bounce back from a fall and prove himself another star novice for Ben Pauling?

Ben Pauling unleashed one of the stars in the novice chasing division when The Jukebox Man was successful at Newbury last week and he has another class act in this line-up. However, Handstands comes here with something to prove after falling on his chase debut at Wincanton.

Handstands looked every inch a chaser in the making when landing the Sidney Banks Novices' Hurdle at Huntingdon last season, but he beat only one home behind Ballyburn in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March and looked in trouble when coming down last time.

That was in the Grade 2 Rising Stars Novices’ Chase and Pauling clearly hasn’t lost the faith because he pitches Handstands into the same class, rather than look for an easier option. But the five-year-old wasn’t fluent before his fall and didn’t look a natural like The Jukebox Man.

Paul Nicholls won this race last year with Stay Away Fay and saddles Welcom To Cartries, who is a half-brother to three chase winners and is evidently bred to be a natural over fences. He also has the stamina to be a successful staying chaser and three miles may be a minimum.

Welcom To Cartries returns from wind surgery and wears a first-time tongue-tie, so can be expected to leave last season’s hurdles form well behind. He needs to, though, having produced a no-show when well fancied for a staying novice handicap hurdle at Ayr on his latest start in April.

Lucinda Russell's Giovinco finished second to Stay Away Fay last year and she runs Cadell at a track where she has a 17 per cent strike-rate. Cadell won over fences at Wetherby last time and may improve more than the other chase winners, Resplendent Grey and Riskintheground.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

Going details

It is soft on the hurdles course and good to soft, soft in places on the chase course, with good in places on the back straight. Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said on Thursday: “We’re expecting 5mm-plus this evening but nothing of concerning volumes.”

What they say

Lucinda Russell, trainer of Cadell
He was really impressive at Wetherby and jumped very well for a novice. He wouldn’t want the ground to get too soft but he’s a nice horse and a long-distance staying type.

Ben Pauling, trainer of Handstands
He should have a great chance. He has schooled well since his fall at Wincanton, which doesn’t appear to have left its mark. He should see out three miles and is very much up to this level. He’s very talented.

Olly Murphy, trainer of Resplendent Grey
It turned into a bit of a sprint at Cheltenham last time and it didn’t play to his strengths. Sandown should suit him and on ratings it looks like he should go very well.

AJ O'Neill, joint-trainer of Saint Davy
He's got the size and should jump a fence nicely. He won at the track last season and shouldn't mind the easy ground. We'll see if he's good enough as it's a competitive race.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Welcom To Cartries
He lost his way a little in the spring but ran a couple of good races at Ascot earlier last season. He won a point-to-point and jumps very nicely. I’d have liked to have run him beforehand but there hasn't been the right race and there aren’t many options for novice chasers. This is a good place for him to start.
Reporting by Jack Haynes

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