Exciting Gallyhill Completes Smart Double For Getaway

Nicky Henderson described Gallyhill (6g Getaway - Tanit, by Xaar) as “a lovely horse” after the pricey purchase made a winning rules debut in Wednesday’s Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.

Bought by Henrietta Knight for £450,000 after taking a Kirkistown maiden for Jamie Sloan, the son of Getaway was sent off favourite for his first start since November 2019. He chased the leader under Nico de Boinville and made headway from three out, quickening to lead soon after. Shaken up after the second last, he was briefly headed by Robin’s Dream but battled back to re-assert close home. The winning margin was a length and a quarter, with the first two drawing 23 lengths of the third.

There should be more to come from Gallyhill after this reappearance, as his trainer later said, “He's a staying chaser and his next run will be over two and a half but he's a big baby. He does jump very well but I thought he was very rusty. He's a lovely horse.”

Owned by Claudio Michael Grech and bred by Sean Gorman, Gallyhill completed a double on the day for Grange Stud sire Getaway, following the debut success of Argonauta (5g Getaway - Oscar Ladensa, by Oscar) at Newcastle.

The Tom Lacey-trained bay was the subject of some market support for the newcomers’ bumper over two miles and was ridden towards the back of the field by Stan Sheppard. Switched right approaching five furlongs out, he was pushed along from three out and chased down the leaders entering the final furlong. Asserting 110 yards from the line, Argonauta kept on to beat the favourite by half a length.

Lacey purchased Argonauta as a three-year-old for €60,000 and the Caroline O’Driscoll-bred bay now runs in the colours of Jerry Hinds and Ashley Head.