Mambonumberfive an impressive hit for unstoppable Pauling and Jones

A Christmas to remember for trainer Ben Pauling and jockey Ben Jones continued with Mambonumberfive proving a real hit in the Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park.

Just shy of 24 hours after tasting King George VI Chase glory with Harry Redknapp’s The Jukebox Man and a night of celebration where the Naunton handler admitted to getting “fairly stuck in”, the pair were back at the Sunbury track to capture another big prize.

A stylish winner of two handicaps in his short chasing career, Mambonumberfive took the leap into deeper company in his stride back at the venue he had secured Adonis Juvenile Hurdle success earlier in the year.

Ridden patiently and with supreme confidence by Jones, the four-year-old emerged travelling powerfully in the home straight and after a big leap at the last, cruised home to a commanding seven-length success.

Pauling said: “I actually thought the ground would be on the quick side for us as I keep telling people we’re not that fast, so I thought two miles round here on good ground round would test his mettle.

“I thought for the majority of the way round it was like that, he was going faster than he’d ever been and made a couple of jumping errors down the back and it was just because he was in top gear and learning as he went.

“I thought Ben had left him plenty to do, but from jumping the last down the back to turning in it was incredible how he got into it and ultimately he got there very easily and was then left in front for a long time. It’s another big step in the right direction.”

All roads now lead to the Cheltenham Festival for the Arkle in March, with Pauling left with no option but to aim high with yet another exciting prospect among his thriving string.

“We’ll be working back from the Arkle and we may as well have a stab at it. He’s very talented and a lovely horse, so he deserves his chance,” continued Pauling.

“He will need another run, so whether we take in a Kingmaker or something else in between, we’ll have to figure that out. It will do him good in terms of experience as well as keeping him on the straight and narrow, as he can get a bit bolshy if you don’t do enough with him.”

Mambonumberfive’s victory proved much smoother than the drama of The Jukebox Man’s magnificent last-gasp triumph in a vintage King George on Boxing Day.

And for Pauling the magnitude of the triumph was still somewhat sinking in as he revealed both what the celebrations entailed and that his Kempton hero had emerged from that titanic four-way tussle for the ages with a clean bill of health and sights firmly set on the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in and I was incredibly proud to be involved in a race of that calibre and to win it was surreal really,” added Pauling.

“We got fairly stuck in and had a great night and it was amazing to celebrate such a fantastic win like that with some fabulous people.

“From the second the flag went down I could see he was comfortable, and turning for home I thought he looked the winner. It was obviously a slower jump than some of the others at the last and it made it a bit hair-raising – but also more impressive that he was able to get back up.

“It was just a very special day and he’s a fabulously talented horse for a brilliant owner and it was one of the races we will remember for a long time.”

He went on: “He couldn’t be better this morning, so now we can all get excited and look ahead to March and you won’t see him again (before the Gold Cup). He doesn’t need to run, he’s very easy to get fit and we’ll have him spot on we hope for an exciting day in the spring.”