Getaway Gelding Impresses With Back-To-Back Grade 2 Wins

Saturday saw the Ben Pauling-trained Handstands (6g Getaway – Wattle Bridge, by King’s Theatre) gain a second consecutive Grade 2 victory in the Towton Novices’ Chase at Ffos Las.

The smart novice hurdler ran out a clearcut winner of the Grade 2 Esher Novices Chase on his second start over fences last month and was sent off an even-money favourite to follow up under Ben Jones. Chasing the leader for much of the way, he led before four out and was ridden before the second last. Clear approaching the final fence, he went on to score by nine lengths, while Lord Of Thunder (Getaway) completed a 1-2 for their Grange Stud sire.

Speaking after the race, the winning trainer said: “I think that’ll work out to be a good performance and he’s a decent horse with a good future.

“The Scilly Isles was always the plan and Ben [Jones, jockey] said he was fresh as a daisy coming in, which is good. If he’s fit and well over the next few days, and if he’s in the same bit of form then 100 per cent he’ll go to Sandown.”

“I was very impressed by Handstands,” Ben Jones added. “He's never one who does a lot in front, so he wouldn't want to be on his own all the way up the home straight again like he was. It'll put him spot on for Sandown.”

Handstands has now won five of his seven career starts, his first coming in a four-year-old maiden for Patrick Turley, who resold him to Kilbride Equine for £135,000. Bred by Brendan and Mary Fitzpatrick, the Getaway gelding went on to win his first three hurdle starts for Pauling and Tim Radford, including a listed contest.