Ben Pauling’s Personal Ambition out-battled the well-fancied favourite Jango Baie to land the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso on Saturday.
Partnered by Kielan Woods, returning from a 45-day whip suspension this week, the gelding struggled to get in a good jumping rhythm in the early stages but vied for the lead throughout, staying on well in the closing stages to defy Jango Baie and Nico De Boinville by half-a-length.
"It didn't exactly go to plan early doors, there was a good gallop down to the first, probably too much of a gallop I would say, and he missed the first and the second and I was thinking 'this is not ideal'," said Pauling.
"Thankfully he got into a nice rhythm after that and it was great that he toughed it out, as he needed to today. It wasn't a facile victory, he had to really dig deep and he hasn't had to do that before really, so it was great to see him do it.
"He'll probably go to Aintree, that would be the obvious route. We were never going to go to Cheltenham because I knew that he could make the sort of mistakes he did today.
"I still think he's a horse that just needs time on the track and I think the flat track at Aintree will suit him more than the undulations of Cheltenham.
"He's obviously got loads of ability and he'll be a lovely horse in time."
Elsewhere on the card, trainer Ewan Whillans took home the valuable £120,000 Morebattle Hurdle with the novice Cracking Rhapsody.
Sent off a 9/1 shot, the gelding was always prominent and kept on well in the closing stages under jockey Craig Nichol to finish four-and-a-half lengths ahead of Ginger Mail with favourite Skycutter in third.
"That was unbelievable and I'm over the moon. Even though he's still a novice he's always been a good jumper," said Whillans.
"I thought they'd have gone really quick, but Craig (Nichol) had him in a lovely position and he travelled really well.
"Having been second in the Eider last week I thought that was our chance for a big race gone. We don't have many good horses and it's usually a case of getting in good races.
"Since last week there's been a buzz about the yard, we've got about 25 horses in being ridden, we're down a bit, but those we've got seem quite capable.
"There's a novice handicap final at Sandown on the last day of the season worth £100,000 and if the ground is decent I'd say we'll go there. He might stay over hurdles next year."
