Ben Pauling eyes Kempton for Your Darling

Ben Pauling has pencilled in a Christmas target for Your Darling, who impressed when winning at Ascot last month.

The Lord Vesty-owned seven-year-old travelled strongly and drew well clear of his 12 rivals before being eased down for a three and three-quarter length success over two miles and five furlongs.

Pauling said: “It was a good performance and he seems in very good form with himself.”

Now the Naunton Downs handler is hoping to set his sights a little higher should he come through his next test at Kempton.

Pauling is eyeing the Ladbrokes Play “1-2-Free” On Football Handicap Chase for the gelded son of Shirocco.

He added: “The plan is to go for a 0-145 over three miles at Kempton on December 27, which is very much the aim.

“We’d love to see him perform well there and then look towards some more exciting spring targets, but at the moment it is one day at a time.

“He seems in very good order with himself and fingers crossed he can go and run well over Christmas.

“If he doesn’t go to Kempton, he could run at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. There is a race for him there as well.

“One of those two options will be where we end up, but at the moment, he is showing himself to be in great form and we are looking forward to his next run.”

Few trainers are in better form than Pauling, who has recoded six winners from 18 runners in the past fortnight.

One of those was the Harry Redknapp-owned Shakem Up’Arry, who signed off last term with a third-placed effort in the Grade Three Red Rum Chase at Aintree.

The eight-year-old earned a second career success over fences on his return to action at Exeter earlier this month and is now being primed for Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

Pauling said: “A long as we get some rain, Shakem Up’Arry could probably go towards the Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase.

“If he didn’t go there, there’s a race for him at Sandown on January 7, but I would be quietly confident we will see him – weather willing, which is no easy thing to say at the moment – probably on New Year’s Day and Your Darling on the 27th.”