BEN’S BOY BORN TO GREATNESS

BY

BOWTOGREATNESS is backed to continue Ben Pauling’s fantastic run of form with victory in today’s Coral Trophy at Kempton.

The Naunton Downs handler has been firing on all cylinders in recent weeks, highlighted by a treble at Ascot last Saturday.

A Tuesday winner at Market Rasen and a Doncaster double on Wednesday kept the bandwagon rolling and Pauling will head to Kempton with high hopes of adding to his tally.

Bowtogreatness (left) won twice from four starts over hurdles, but has yet to find the target since having his attentions switched to the larger obstacles.

That being said, a runner-up finish in a competitive handicap at last year’s Grand National meeting at Aintree is evidence of what he is capable of and he is only 1lb higher in the weights ahead of his latest assignment.

His post-christmas comeback at

Newbury was disappointing, but there was more promise in his most recent performance when fifth behind leading

Cheltenham Festival contender Ginny’s Destiny at Prestbury Park late last month.

Bowtogreatness has proven himself in testing conditions and, stepping back up in trip, a bold bid is anticipated in this £150,000 feature.

Pauling might also hit the bullseye with Fiercely Proud, who holds obvious claims in the Coral Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle.

The trainer (inset) is particularly strong in this division at present, with the likes of Tellherthename, The Jukebox Man and Handstands having all shown their worth at a high level.

Fiercely Proud himself won his first two starts over hurdles before finishing a very creditable third behind the highly touted Jeriko Du Reponet in a rescheduled Rossington Main at Doncaster last month.

He has a little bit of ground to make up on the reopposing runner-up Lump Sum, but at the prices he looks the value call.