Trainer Pauling is sure Global Citizen ready for the Arkle
BEN PAULING is confident he has Global Citizen exactly where he wants him for his return to the top table in the Racing Post Arkle Novices’ Chase at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.
The eight-year-old warmed up for his first start at Grade One level since finishing down the field in last year’s Champion Hurdle by taking part in a racecourse gallop at Kempton yesterday.
Although a touch keen through the early stages, Global Citizen – winner of the Grade Two Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase on his previous visit to the track in December – finished off the gallop well to cross the line alongside his work companion Delire D’Estruval.
Pauling said: “He was easy for the eye to see, and he was good. He was very well in himself, and I feel like we have got him spot on. He just wants to get on with life.
“David (Bass) said he took a fierce hold in behind but worked very well. I’m chuffed to bits with that, and it puts us bang on track for the Arkle. We’ve freshened him up since his win at Kempton, and I couldn’t be any happier with him.”
Meanwhile Caroline Bailey will only run her smart novice Boldmere in the 888Sport Grimthorpe Handicap Chase if the ground dries up at Doncaster.
The seven-year-old looked sure to take his record over fences to three from four in the Grade Two Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby last time out, only to fall at the last when in command under James Bowen.
To compound matters, the handicapper also put Boldmere up 5lb.
As an alternative to Doncaster on Saturday, Bailey has given Boldmere an entry in a novice chase at Newbury.
“It will be fairly ground dependent, because I wouldn’t want to run him in the Grimthorpe on heavy ground at this stage of his career,” she said.
“The Grimthorpe was always first choice, but I wouldn’t run him on very soft or heavy. It’s impossible at this stage to guess what the ground will be, because the forecast keeps changing every day. He’s not in at Cheltenham. The thought was always Aintree – so this weekend fitted in nicely time-wise.”
■ Paul Hanagan has been discharged from hospital after fracturing his back in a fall at Newcastle.
The former champion jockey, stable jockey to Malton trainer Richard Fahey, expects to be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
However he’s been fulsome in his praise of medical staff at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Hospital where he was treated for nine days.
Meanwhile jump jockey Adam Nicol, who injured his back on Boxing Day, will learn next week if he’s fit to ride Phil Kirby’s Lady Buttons at the Cheltenham Festival. His injury meant he missed out on two high-profile victories at Doncaster on the ever popular Yorkshire mare.
■ Champion trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Harry Cobden’s trip from Somerset to Catterick paid off when Saint Sonnet and Ashutor both won at the North Yorkshire track.