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Equinties - player Pauling
BGP Capital
February 24, 2026
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For years now the Prestbury Cup (awarded to the nation with the most Cheltenham winners) has gone to Ireland, with Britain not even getting the slightest whiff of it at all bar only for a tie in 2019.
The whole Prestbury Cup thing only started in 2014 but Irish dominance in jumps racing has meant that Ireland has landed it nine times for Britain’s paltry two (in 2019 there was a tie of 14 winners each). Now, had the Prestbury Cup been going for that, Ireland would have been chasing Britain, but it is what it is and as they say, you’re only as good as your last race (unless your name is LANGER DAN (RIP))
and Ireland is King.
As you’ll all be aware, Gordon and Henry de Bromhead have their fair share of winners but it’s one Willie Mullins who has been the primary architect of Ireland's success at Cheltenham, redefining dominance in National Hunt racing.
Since 1988, Mullins has amassed a record 113 festival winners as of early 2026, his first being in 1995 with TOURIST ATTRACTION in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, and he even rode a winner himself in the 1996 Champion Bumper aboard WITHER OR WHICH.
The reason he is the racing wizard can be largely nailed down to two key points - strength in depth and a clinical execution of specific strategy. Willie consistently fields massive numbers (he has 54 horses entered in 87 races this year) and they’re all just about to peak. Willie’s whole year is focused on the big festivals in the spring, nothing else.
This article isn’t about Willie, but it does paint a picture - the mountain to climb for British trainers wanting to compete on the main stage.
Enter stage left, Ben Pauling.
Today’s Racing Post features his festival stable tour and alongside the detail about all his runners, he had some bullish statements about Britain’s efforts to bring the Prestbury Cup home.
Let’s dive in.
HEADLINE ROUNDUP
PLAYER PAULING
Pauling believes the gap is closing and the younger brigade (the likes of himself, Dan Skelton, Jamie Snowden, James Owen, Antony Honeyball and Olly Murphy) are set to run the Irish close this year with a view to finally bringing it home in the coming years.
Note: we believe Pauling is right to a certain extent but also strongly feel the BHA have failed British racing by being sole cause of the ‘talent drain’ into Ireland. Our calamitous racing schedule and sh*tshow prize money has disincentivised owners from buying top horses and keeping them here.
Dan Skelton sets the British standard and will win this years trainers title, but Pauling isn’t far behind him when it comes to ability in readying a horse for a big one, so let’s look at his Cheltenham hopes.
Obviously, the captain of the team is THE JUKEBOX MAN. He need no intro and is a key contender in the Gold Cup.
HANDSTANDS is up next. At one point, Pauling couldn’t split him with the JUKEBOX MAN, mad given one has won a King George and the other hasn’t done anything this season. If not the Ryanair, he’ll go to the Ultima as the highest rated in the horse in the field and seemingly perfectly peaking for the event - Pauling admitting at the start of the season he wasn’t ‘shining at home’. His back form is incredible, he’s stuffed JANGO BAIE twice!
LUNA DIVA is ‘pretty much spot on’ for the Mares Chase on Gold Cup day whilst VANDERPOEL, who was at one point considered the yards Arkle horse, can take advantage of a lenient mark in the Grand Annual. The yard won the race in 2022.
SPOTLIGHT
Amo has had a good start to the year. Okay, SQUARE NECKER got absolutely battered by CONSITUTION HILL, but around that they’ve had a good success including winners in Ireland from Robson Aguiar and a top debut from from SIN CITY here at the weekend.
Today see’s Amo debut DOMENICO CONTARINI.
A 750k breeze-up purchase, the colt’s page isn’t standout as far as black type is concerned, you have to dig deep for it but look hard enough and you will find DANCETERIA - the globetrotting star gelding.
DOMENICO CONTARINI is fancied today but it’s no egg and spoon race. Wathnan runs a half a milli breezer hailing from the Burke yard.
Nice racing for a Tuesday, eyes on.
KEMPTON AWAY DAY
Some of Britain’s big guns enjoyed a gallop at Kempton this morning, here are the vids:
TUTTI QUANTI look good:
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