2025 Lightning Novices' Chase Tips - Will Pauling's ambition be rewarded at Windsor?

With L'Eau Du Sud now out of the race, four will approach the starter's flag ahead of Friday's feature. The hot-favourite is Caldwell Potter, who'll be bidding to bounce back after a limp third-place finish over two-and-a-half miles at Cheltenham in December.

Bryan Carver and Harry Fry team up with Gidleigh Park, who was pulled up quickly in his chasing debut at Kempton and diagnosed afterwards with an irregular heartbeat. Former Mares' Novices' Hurdle winner, You Wear It Well is still looking for her first win over fences, having been beaten in two Listed races so far this season. Ben Jones and Ben Pauling team up with Personal Ambition, who might have won the Noel Novices' Chase at Ascot had it not been for a telling error at the final flight. 

It was clear that something was wrong with Gidleigh Park in the build-up to his chasing debut at Kempton and Bryan Carver was right to pull the favourite up well before the end. Any horse can be forgiven one bad run and Harry Fry's star is built to be a chaser. Yet, two miles must be at least four furlongs short of his optimum trip and that irregular heart problem casts further doubt about Gidleigh Park's suitability for this contest.

Caldwell Potter was given an aggressive ride from the front when winning over the minimum distance on his stable debut and I expect Harry Cobden to continue with similar tactics. Gavin Sheehan gave You Wear It Well a stinker of a ride when held up at Warwick the last day and I doubt he'd want to be too far away from the early pace either.

The value could lie with PERSONAL AMBITION (13/2), who took a lead when winning the Morebattle at Kelso back in March and jumped well when chasing Lookaway around Uttoxeter as the pair made their debuts over fences.

Following a surprisingly poor round of jumping at Newbury, Ben Pauling upped Personal Ambition up in trip for the Noel Novices' Chase at Ascot. For 95% of that Grade Two, Ben Jones' mount outjumped the opposition and still held the lead approaching the last. Personal Ambition didn't see the right stride going into the final flight and Jones did well to stay in the saddle, but the error allowed Mark Of Gold to come home and claim an unlikely victory.

Dropping back down to the minimum distance seems like a sensible move and Personal Ambition won't mind the extra juice in the ground at Windsor. With Caldwell Potter and You Wear It Well certain to want the lead, Ben Jones can give his mount a more patient ride and look to strike late if the leaders begin to tire.

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