Ben Pauling boasts best British stayers, The Yellow Clay is an Albert Bartlett type and Candlish kicks on
Three key takeaways from this week's big-race action
Ben Pauling holds the aces among Britain’s staying novice chasers
Handstands, a faller on his chasing debut at Wincanton last month, got off the mark on his second start over fences when running out a comprehensive winner of the Esher Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Friday.
The Ben Pauling-trained five-year-old produced an assured round of jumping before powering up the home straight to run out a three-and-a-half-length winner under Ben Jones.
His victory came a week after Pauling and Jones combined to land the John Francome Novices’ Chase with The Jukebox Man.
Owned by Harry Redknapp, The Jukebox Man was placed in three Grade 1s as a novice hurdler last season and made an impressive start to his chase career with a two-length win at Newbury.
At 12-1 and 33-1 respectively, The Jukebox Man and Handstands are two of the shortest-priced British challengers for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
They look set to put their festival aspirations to the test in Grade 1 company next, with The Jukebox Man in contention for the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and Handstands likely to return to Sandown to tackle the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase on February 1.
Joe Eccles
The Yellow Clay remains a top Albert Bartlett contender
Not everyone was impressed with The Yellow Clay's win in the Navan Novice Hurdle, but I'd certainly be on side with him for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle despite the narrow margin of his win.
The neck victory saw him unchanged at 12-1 for the Cheltenham Festival contest by Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power, but it was the manner of his victory that made me think he is the one they all have to beat.
The runner-up Fleur In The Park got first run and showed a burst of speed under a fine Cian Quirke ride, but The Yellow Clay showed terrific tenacity to keep going right through to the line to nab him.
He looks a relentless galloper and exactly what you need as a staying type for the future, so you can mark up this performance as it probably came over a trip that is way short of his optimum. He'd have definitely learned plenty for the battle.
Gordon Elliott said the Lawlor's of Naas Novice Hurdle is next over a similar trip, but even if he is beaten there, it is when they step him up to three miles when you'll see the real The Yellow Clay.
The Navan Novice Hurdle produced the Albert Bartlett, Supreme and Martin Pipe winners last season, so it's definitely a race you should be keeping onside.
Matt Rennie
Candlish already closing in on best season
Levelling last season's tally in early December is a notable feat and Jennie Candlish is well on course for her best jumps campaign.
The Staffordshire trainer has been operating at a 20 per cent strike-rate since the jumps season began in May.
Classic Maestro was Candlish's 21st winner of the campaign at Wetherby on Saturday, while half of her other 84 runners have finished second, third or fourth.
A flagbearer for the yard with Cheltenham Festival ambitions has emerged in Skyjack Hijack, who completed a six-timer in The French Furze Novice Hurdle at Newcastle last month. He is a best-price 50-1 for the Albert Bartlett.
Magical Arthur has won three of his last four starts in handicap hurdles and should have more to offer, while his owners have sent Top Ville Ben, who makes his stable debut in a veterans' handicap chase at Lingfield on Monday, to the Grade 2-winning trainer.
Candlish, who has also trained 11 Flat winners this year, recorded her best tally of 24 jumps winners in 2019-20 and 2021-22 and could well have set a new personal best before the year is out.
Jack Haynes
Latest Jockeys’ Cup standings
Harry Skelton 114
Sam Twiston-Davies 90
Nico de Boinville 86
Harry Cobden 80
Sean Bowen 74
British jump jockeys’ championship standings
Sean Bowen 99 wins
Harry Skelton 95
Sam Twiston-Davies 69
Gavin Sheehan 55
Harry Cobden 54
British jumps trainers’ championship standings
Dan Skelton £1,454,220
Paul Nicholls £1,011,903
Olly Murphy £678,233
Nigel Twiston-Davies £661,248
Nicky Henderson £603,721
Irish jump jockeys’ championship standings
Darragh O’Keeffe 48 wins
Paul Townend 44
Sam Ewing 44
Keith Donoghue 40
Jack Kennedy 34
Irish jumps trainers’ championship standings
Gordon Elliott €2,050,355
Willie Mullins €1,514,470
Henry de Bromhead €887,940
Gavin Cromwell €823,820
Joseph O’Brien €521,510
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Last updated
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- Pipe bumper winner has wind in his sails - but he will still have plenty to prove against likely Irish juggernaut
- Majborough can emulate another JP McManus star who went from Triumph success to the top division over fences
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