Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Man bids to build on a Cheltenham near-miss as he lines up for the Cavani Sartorial Menswear Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

The gelding, who is owned by Harry Redknapp, won his first two starts over hurdles and was then third at Grade One level in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury at the end of last year.

He was subsequently somewhat overlooked at 18-1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but outran those odds when going agonisingly close, as he was beaten just a head by Stellar Story.

The Jukebox Man now returns at the same level in Liverpool, having proven in defeat that he is well able to mix it with the best.

“He’s come out of Cheltenham in good form and we’re really looking forward to seeing him run again,” said Pauling.

“Watching the race back, we felt we could have done a few things differently, but all in all he showed us he is a Grade One performer for the future, which is very exciting in itself.

“He’s not a flamboyant horse at home, he just does what he has to do, but he seems in good order with himself, so we’re looking forward to rolling the dice again.”

Nicky Henderson’s Shanagh Bob looks to demonstrate his promise again in the race and preserve his unbeaten record.

The six-year-old has run twice under rules, taking a Plumpton novice on debut and then stepping sharply up in grade to land the Bristol Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in December.

He was due to return to the same track to contest the Albert Bartlett, but like many Henderson runners, he was withdrawn as the stable was suspected to be in ill health.

“I don’t really know how good he could be, he’s a horse that could fool you a little bit,” said Henderson.

“It probably tells you a little bit that we started at Plumpton first time out.

“It’s not the normal nursery ground we use, it’s a great track, don’t get me wrong, but you wouldn’t expect to see the Albert Bartlett favourite at that time of year.

“He was good and we moved straight into Cheltenham, when he was really impressive.

“He’s a lovely horse, he’ll jump a fence and I’d love him to come through this because if he does, we go novice chasing with a top-class horse on our hands.”

Gordon Elliott has a single runner in Croke Park, while Willie Mullins fields Naas Grade One winner Readin Tommy Wrong and Dancing City.

Readin Tommy Wrong was the favourite for the Albert Bartlett but was pulled up on an off day that Mullins’ son and assistant Patrick thinks he can be forgiven for.

“Paul (Townend) chose Readin Tommy Wrong in Cheltenham, he’s the horse with the touch of class in a staying race,” he told Sporting Life.

“He came from behind in a two-and-a-half-mile race in the Lawlor’s, he should be ideal for a staying race because he settles and a horse that settles is worth 10lb in one of these races.

“Nothing really came to light after Cheltenham, I think he just had an off day and you can draw a line through that. You can always forgive a horse one bad run.

“It’s obviously not ideal coming off the back of that but for me I’d still back him to get back to his Naas form. I just think he has that little bit of class that separates the real stayers from the other horses.”

Dancing City also contested the Albert Bartlett and was third, though the margin was wide and the younger Mullins feels he had luck on his side that day.

“Dancing City is more of a galloper, more dour,” he said.

“He ran really well at Cheltenham, but I think a lot went right for him and he was still well beaten, so I’m not sure where I’m going to see the improvement from him, but I could see him running a solid race.”

Sam Ewing and Stellar Story pounced in the very last stride to inflict Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle agony on Harry Redknapp and Ben Pauling at the Cheltenham Festival.

Pauling’s 18-1 outsider had led the field along from flag fall in the hands of Kielan Woods, with Gordon Elliott’s shock 33-1 winner one of those to track the pace setter.

The sedate early pace saw plenty in with chances as the runners descended towards two out, but one by one they dropped away as Woods upped the tempo aboard The Jukebox Man and made his bid for home.

Pauling’s charge held the advantage running down to the last, but the six-year-old got in tight and gave Ewing and Stellar Story a glimmer of hope and they took full advantage, rallying to reel in the brave runner-up in the shadow of he post.

It was Elliott’s second success of the week following on from Teahupoo’s Stayers’ Hurdle triumph on Thursday, but for young rider Ewing it was not only a first Cheltenham Festival success but also a maiden strike at Grade One level.

Ewing said: “Absolutely brilliant. He’s a horse that jumps very well, he loved that ground today and he battled very hard for me. He was brilliant at the last as well, when we needed it, so I can’t believe it.”

The Jukebox Man will not be seen again until the spring following his fine third in Newbury’s Challow Hurdle.

Owned by football great Harry Redknapp, he was bought for £70,000 after impressing in the pointing field and since being beaten by the well-regarded Gidleigh Park on his rules debut, he has barely put a foot wrong for trainer Ben Pauling.

Two novice hurdle victories saw him stepped up in class for the final Grade One of 2023 and although failing to come away with victory, the six-year-old was less than two lengths adrift of eventual winner Captain Teague after being involved in a prolonged battle with both the Paul Nicholls-trained scorer and runner-up Lookaway up the Newbury straight.

That gives Pauling confidence that he has a special performer under his care and after being given plenty of time to recover from his Challow exertions, The Jukebox Man will be prepared for big-race targets in the spring.

He said: “We are really lucky at the moment to have some smart young horses, but he is definitely up there with the best of them.

“He’s particularly suited by that sort of ground and I’m not saying he does not have the speed or class for better ground, but I think he handles the soft very well.

“I thought he ran a lovely race and jumped particularly well and travelled strongly. Although four of them finished within two lengths of each other, rather than say the race wasn’t that strong, I think you probably have four nice horses.

“Lookaway brought very strong handicap form to the race and the others are very unexposed horses who have done nothing wrong in their preparation and are hopefully going to be smart horses for years to come.”

Pauling continued: “He won’t run again now until the spring. I just feel the Challow is always a gruelling enough test and I don’t think we can say this year is any different.

“Amazingly, he has come out of it very well indeed and is as fresh as a daisy. However, I think we will be saving him for something in the spring, whether that is Cheltenham, Aintree or even Perth.

“We will look to run once or twice max before the end of the season and although I think he will stay three miles very well, ground will probably determine which route we went really.

“I think he will definitely stay three, but if it came up soft I wouldn’t be afraid to leave him at two and a half and I think he is an absolute belter. He has a brilliant attitude, loves his job and I think he is going to be a very smart horse for the future.”

It was an exciting few days for both Pauling and Redknapp and although they fell short in the Challow, they received the perfect compensation package at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day when Shakem Up’Arry landed the valuable Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase by an emphatic seven and a half lengths.

It was a long-awaited victory for the 10-year-old, who had been sent off favourite for the corresponding race in 2023 and had also placed over the course and distance at the Cheltenham Festival.

“He has always been knocking on the door of a big one without quite finding what is needed to get his head in front,” continued Pauling.

“Whether that be at the Festival or whenever he ran, he always seems to turn up, but has just fallen slightly short.

“We just gave him a tinker with his wind in the summer and whether it is that or not, I’m not sure, but it looks to be paying dividends and it is great for both Harry and the horse to get on the board in a big one and reap the rewards for almost Harry’s patience really.

“Harry couldn’t have been much happier, he was gutted not to be there, but he has always adored this horse – I think because he is named after him. He has owned him with me since he was a three-year-old and amazingly he turned 10 the other day which is frightening.

“He has always been fond of this horse and it was lovely to see him go and do it.”