Twig

The recent highlight came at Aintree in December 2025, when Twig won one of the top races in Britain. His trainer Ben Pauling was effusive afterwards, saying he "ran a blinder" and "jumped for fun" — high praise at a track where jumping errors end races. Pauling added that Twig "just got lonely in front," which is a trainer's way of saying his horse was so far ahead he had nothing left to race against. A month earlier, Twig had won a Class 2 at Sandown in what Pauling cheerfully described as "quite a hilarious race" that "changed complexion at least five times." Winning ugly still counts.

At Uttoxeter, Twig has won 2 of his 4 races — a 50% return at a track where most horses are lucky to win once. Those two wins came in the same spring, back in May and July 2023, suggesting he arrived at that course in red-hot form and simply took it apart. His overall record in the top tier of racing is harder — 1 win from 8 races at Class 1 level, roughly 1 in 8 — but that single win was at Aintree, so it counts for rather a lot.

Much of Twig's story involves one jockey. Beau Morgan has ridden him in 23 of his 26 races and the two share 8 wins together — 35% of their races, winning roughly 1 in every 3. That kind of long-running partnership matters more than it sounds; a jockey who knows a horse's quirks, its jumping rhythm, and when to push is worth a great deal.

Pauling, based in the Gloucestershire village of Naunton, has had 91 winners this season from his yard alone — a remarkable output — and he clearly has ambitious plans for Twig still. He has mentioned veterans' chases and potentially the Becher Chase at Aintree, the famous race run partly over the Grand National fences. "He's not done with yet," Pauling said. On the evidence so far, that is putting it mildly.