Quinta Do Mar can go well in the Lanzarote

Quinta Do Mar is fancied in the Lanzarote

Lanzarote Hurdle preview: Ben Pauling keen on chances of Quinta Do Mar

By Matt Brocklebank

Horse Racing

Wed January 11, 2023 · 2y ago

Ben Pauling is looking forward to saddling two of his better handicap chasers this weekend, along with a well-fancied runner in the Lanzarote Hurdle.

The bang in-form Pauling, who is operating at a remarkable 41% strike-rate with his chasers throughout the current campaign, has both Slipway and Nestor Park entered in the Wigley Group Classic Handicap Chase (3m5f) at Warwick and reports both horses to be in fine form.

However, the well-regarded Slipway - winner of the Southern National at Fontwell on his seasonal reappearance in November and yet to be seen since - also has the option of the three-mile Coral Racing Club Handicap Chase at Kempton this weekend.

Speaking on the weekly Get Stuck In show on sportinglife.com, the trainer reported: "I think Nestor Park will love the ground. He’s a horse that’s relatively unexposed over these marathon trips and I think it could suit him very well.

“He’s a confirmed runner, and then Slipway – who we have high hopes for for the rest of the season – is also in there.

"We’ll just be keeping an eye on the ground with him (Slipway), I’d almost like it to not stop raining for him now, he won’t want it tacky and holding. If it’s really wet he might run, but they’re both in good form and ready to go.

"Slipway is proven to stay very well but he’s in at Kempton as well on Saturday – he’s not short of speed and three miles around there would be no issue to him. Hopefully he’ll run somewhere this weekend and Nestor Park is definitely going."

If Slipway ends up running at Kempton Park, he'll be heading to the track with eight-year-old stablemate Quinta Do Mar, who is all set to contest the valuable Coral Lazarote Handicap Hurdle.

Quinta Do Mar fell at the final flight (looked held in third) in the same race last season but Pauling is expecting a more positive outcome this time around, having had just the two starts since resuming in late-October.

“Quinta Do Mar is very much on target for the Lanzarote. He’s in very good order and he should handle the ground. He’s not a mud lover but we’ve got lots of rain around and hopefully it will be loose.

“He’s better this season than he was last, he’d had a fair bit more racing last season. The race at Fontwell (won by a head from Irish Hill) has worked out well, the second has won a couple and the third has won a handicap.

“He’s in a good place, he’s been laid out for this so hopefully he can put his best foot forward.”

Pauling has enjoyed a fantastic season in general to this point, having moved into new facilities at Naunton Downs golf club last April, and describes the change in scenery as a like “breath of fresh air”.

He said: “It’s been a great start and the team at home have done incredibly well.

“They all seem to be working nicely and the new yard is a great place for the horses to be. It seems to work well, you never know until you move into these places, but the horses are in good order and as long as we can keep them healthy and well then let’s hope we can keep it going through to the end of the season and beyond.

“It’s been a breath of fresh air to us all and it’s something we really appreciate as times haven’t always been the easiest, we’ve had some highs and some lows, but to move to the new yard and get off on the right foot was a big relief to us all.”

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