Ben Pauling is looking forward to an exciting season with Handstands, who will make his first start in open company in Saturday’s Grade 1 Betfair Chase.

The progressive six-year-old was a three-time winner in novice hurdle company before finding life too difficult at the Cheltenham Festival in 2024, but he demonstrated distinct improvement for the switch to fences. Successful twice in Grade 2 company, he produced a strong round of jumping to win the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown in February, but was pulled up at Aintree.

He suffered a defeat on seasonal reappearance at Carlisle, an effort that indicated further improvement to come.

"I was very happy with the result we ended up with (at Carlisle) in terms of a fitness run," said Pauling, during a press conference organised by the Jockey Club.

"He looked properly ring-rusty and was looking about. He didn't jump badly but was very ponderous. It was a funny old race, but did its job.

"In hindsight, when he fell in the Rising Stars (at Wincanton) on his reappearance last year, I thought it was because of the ground but he ran a very similar race that day. He then went to Sandown and looked electric.

"He's come home and is looking great. I dare say next weekend it will hopefully be a similar thing. This is only the second season we've had him and are still just getting to know him.

"He was fine at home after Carlisle and properly came alive last week. We'll school him this week and hopefully we'll get a bit of a lead at the weekend – we certainly won't plan on making it. He is not slow at all, but I don't think he has great tactical speed.

"With our horses coming on for their first run and Sean Bowen putting his horses on hovercrafts after the last, we didn't have time to react at Carlisle. Ben (Jones, jockey) couldn't pull him up down the back after the line.

"I just think we came away from it with a very sound, healthy horse and it was always going to be a stepping-stone towards his next race, whatever that was going to be. Was I overwhelmed by it? No. Was I gutted? No. I think Carlisle did its job and he will be a lot sharper for it."

Handstands will face his toughest ask in the Betfair Chase against seasoned chasers, but Pauling is hopeful the gelding has the talent to feature in conditions which should suit.