Jukebox on song as seasonal reappearance nears

Ben Pauling reports stable star The Jukebox Man to be in “amazing form” ahead of a planned reappearance at either Ascot or Newbury in the coming weeks.

The seven-year-old won each of his two starts over fences last season including a brilliant Grade One victory in the Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, but missed the rest of the campaign due to injury.

The Jukebox Man holds an entry in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on November 15, but he looks set to sidestep Cheltenham in favour of either the Ladbrokes 1965 Chase at Ascot the following week or the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury a week after that.

Pauling said: “He’s in amazing form. He probably isn’t going to be ready for the Paddy Power but should be ready for the 1965 and I did chuck him in the Coral Gold Cup as well, which probably isn’t the worst idea if he needs that extra week.

“After that it’ll be very much all systems go for the King George.”