By Peter Moore at Newbury Tuesday 17th February 2026

The continuing red-hot form of both Ben Pauling and Ben Jones continued after the pair brought up a double on Boyle Sports February Raceday at Newbury on Tuesday afternoon.

Personal Ambition started the ball rolling with an all the way victory by 17 lengths from the long odds-on shot Quebecoi in the opening 2m novice chase.

Another to not be caught when leading from the front was De Kingpin who’s sole success thus far had come over C & D last season.

A month ago, the seven-year-old had finished third of 17 in a handicap hurdle at the same course.

Making all, the grey forged away after 4 out before doing enough to score by seven and a half lengths in the 2m 5f handicap hurdle.

Pauling has now had six winners from the last eight runners with Jones currently on a 26% strike rate with seven winning rides from the last 27.

Jane Williams continued her fine season and moved a step closer to a career-best campaign when Lancelot Allen landed the 2m½f maiden hurdle.

The five-year-old was making his first appearance since finishing 15th of 16 in last season’s Champion Bumper at the festival and Williams was delighted after registering her 16th win this term.

She is on course to surpass last season’s tally of 20, and said: “It’s been an amazing season. I think I’ve only got two or three horses who have yet to win any prize-money and hardly any of them have finished out of the frame.

“I know Lancelot Allen came nearly last at Cheltenham, but it was a good race and the horses just in front of him have turned into good horses this season. Sometimes it’s fun to take part at Cheltenham.”

She added: “When you have horses off for a long time they’re obviously off for a reason. You’re on tenterhooks because you want them to race well and also come out of it all right, but he was as happy as a bee and I’m very pleased.”

By his own admission, Charlie Longsdon has had a quiet period in recent seasons, but he is hopeful that Swindon Village can take him back up a level after a comfortable victory in the 2m4½f novice hurdle.

Longsdon said: “He’s a good horse. We’ve got a smaller yard nowadays and we need one like him. We’re hoping he can be the one who can take us to some decent days.

“We’ve had a quietish time. The horses have been running well but not winning, so you never quite know until you run the horse. He’s a three-mile chaser through and through.”

Swindon Village holds entries for both the Albert Bartlett and Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but his participation would only be likely if the ground comes up testing.

Longsdon added: “We’ll keep the entries and see where we are. I know the owner would love to look at Cheltenham and Aintree, but it’d have to be very soft ground. I can see it being three miles at Aintree and two and a half at Cheltenham if he were to go anywhere.”

As The Fella Says is relishing the switch to fences this term after bouncing back from a disappointing run at Windsor last time out, after landing the 2m 7 ½ f chase by four and three quarter lengths for local trainer Nicky Henderson with James Bowen aboard.