The Gloucestershire yard of Ben Pauling has gone from strength to strength in recent seasons and today could see it reach a new high when the trainer sends his stable star to Kempton to compete in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase (2.30 p.m.).
THE JUKEBOX MAN will face seven talented rivals, including two hot-pots from the yard of Irish maestro Willie Mullins, when he runs in the Grade 1 contest over a distance of three miles.
The Jukebox Man has plenty to find on official ratings with almost all his rivals but Pauling remains quietly confident that this lightly-raced seven-year-old gelding, owned by former football manager Harry Redknapp, is up to the task.
Unusually, Mullins has brought over not one but two of his best staying chasers for this race. If this was Cheltenham in March, I would not be taking on the formidable duo of Gaelic Warrior and Fact To File.
The two stable-mates fought out a thrilling finish last month in the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase, with the former prevailing by a neck. However, that tough race might just have left its mark on one or both of them.
Furthermore, this course and distance suits the Pauling horse perfectly as he proved on Boxing Day last year when he routed a five-strong field to land the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices’ Chase on good ground. It’s an overused cliché but this is very much “his Gold Cup”, whereas some of his rivals will have bigger days in the spring.
Due to a setback, The Jukebox Man has only run once since Boxing Day 2024, a ready victory over Iroko at Haydock last month. “We’re going to Kempton with a horse we have huge faith in and couldn’t have in any better shape,” the trainer said earlier this week.
There is plenty to like about the current form of the Pauling yard too. He has recorded seven winners from his last 30 runners for a winning strike rate of 23 percent. Back The Jukebox Man 1 point each way at 13-2, paying three places, odds being offered by most but not all bookmakers. However, strike the bet with William Hill offering a quarter odds, three places.
The shortest odds British-trained horse is Nicky Henderson’s Jango Baie, who is talented and consistent in equal measures but who is untried over this distance of three miles. Venetia Williams’ gelding Djelo has improved for the step up to three miles this season and is a live outsider, but he throws in too many poor runs on the big stages to be backed with any confidence.
At Aintree, the William Hill Daily Bet Boosts Handicap Hurdle (1.40 p.m.) is a competitive eight-horse affair and trainer Olly Murphy has not hidden his admiration for the likely favourite, Indeevar Bleu, who could win this quite comfortably off a mark of 129 if he is as good as his handler thinks he is.
However, I would rather be on RUBBER BALL for the Neil King/Jack Quinlan trainer/jockey combination. This five-year-old gelding took two runs to reach his peak last season and I am hoping it will be a case of the same this season.
Rubber Ball has a bit to find with Bear Market on their running over course and distance earlier this month when they were fourth and first respectively, meaning that Bear Market goes to Aintree today seeking a four-timer today.
However, Neil King’s horses have hit a rich vein of form over the past fortnight: he is three winners from seven runners for a winning strike rate of 43 percent. Back Rubber Ball 1 point each way at 8-1 with bet365.
It’s a shame that so many of the big races up and down the country today have attracted such small fields. Just four runners will line up for Wetherby’s big contest, the William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase (1.35 p.m.), which is worth the best part of £30,000 to winning connections.
Konfusion looks plenty short enough at odds on for this race, given he unseated his rider two runs ago and he has been raised all of 10 lbs in the official ratings for winning an eight-runner handicap chase at Newcastle last month. He is on the upgrade but at the prices he is not for me.
Any one of the four runners is capable of winning this but KNAPPERS HILL for the Paul Nicholls/Freddie Gingell combination is the pick for me. After a two-year absence from the racetrack, he will have needed his first run of the season against the talented duo of The Jukebox Man and Iroko. With that run at Haydock under his belt, back Knappers Hill 2 points win at 4-1, a price offered by Unibet and other bookies.
I have already put up two horses for the Coral Welsh Grand National tomorrow (2.50 p.m.) but, sadly, one of them Shomen Uchi has suffered a setback which means he will not be running. I will therefore rely solely on O’Connell, who I put up a week ago each way at 10-1.
The ground is likely to be much quicker than normal for this race – probably ‘good to’ – which will put less of a test on stamina and more of a test on class. So don’t rule out Haiti Couleurs winning this off near top weight if he can bounce back from his inexplicably poor run at Haydock.
I will be back a week today to look at the racing over the first weekend of 2026. However, as and when it arrives, a happy New Year to all Penworthy readers.
Pending:
2 points win Knappers Hill at 4-1 for the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase.
1 point each way Rubber Ball at 8-1 Daily Bet Boosts Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way The Jukebox Man at 13-2 for the King George VI Chase, paying 1/4 odds, 3 places.
1 point each way O’Connell at 10-1 for the Welsh Grand National, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Shomen Uchi at 16-1 for the Welsh Grand National, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Romeo Coolio at 16-1 for the Arkle Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Derryhassen Paddy at 25-1 for the Brown Advisory Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
Last weekend: – 1.4 points
1 point each way My Silver Lining at 8-1 for the Tommy Whittle, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. 2nd + 0.6 points.
1 point each way Helnwein at 10-1 for the Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2025-26 jumps season: running total – 7.5 points
2025 flat season: + 84.12 points on all tips.
2024-5 jumps season: – 47.61 points on all tips.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jumps season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jumps season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
Total for six full seasons of tipping: + 126 points
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