Formerly assistant trainer to Nicky Henderson, Ben Pauling began training in his own right at Bourton Hill Farm in Bourton-on-the-Water, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in 2013 with just eight horses. He saddled his first winner, Raven’s Tower – whom he later described as “a very special horse” – ridden by David Bass, in a handicap hurdle at Plumpton on November 4, 2013.
After training nine winners in his inaugural season, Pauling gradually increased his annually tally to 20, 26, 32, 36 and 44 in the next five years. His early flag-bearer was Bartons Hill, who won seven races for the yard in 2014/15 and 2015/16, most notably including the Grade 1 Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury on December 29, 2015. Sadly, Barters Hill suffered a serious tendon injury on his chasing debut at Cheltenham the following November and, following a lengthy spell on the sidelines, was never the same horse again.
Nevertheless, Pauling did manage to send out three Cheltenham Festival winners during his time at Bourton Hill Farm, namely Willoughby Court, ridden by David Bass, in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle in 2017, Le Breuil, ridden by Jamie Codd, in the National Hunt Chase in 2019 and Global Citizen in the Grand Annual Chase in 2022. Shortly afterwards, Pauling his string to his new, state-of-the-art training facility at nearby Naunton Downs Estate and has continued on an upward curve ever since.
In 2022/23, Pauling saddled a career-best 80 winners, thereby breaking into the top 10 in the National Hunt Trainers’ Championship for the first time and, the following season, increased his Cheltenham Festival tally to four winners, courtesy of Shakem Up’Arry in the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase on March 14, 2024. More recent high-profile winners for the yard include The Jukebox Man in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day 2024, Handstands in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown the following February and The Jukebox Man, again, in the King George VI Chase back at Kempton on Boxing Day 2025. Currently unbeaten over fences, the latter is trading as low as 8/1 co-favourite of three for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
