Getaway Gelding Adds Grade 1 To Admirable Record

Handstands (6g Getaway – Wattle Bridge, by King’s Theatre) rallied gamely to complete a black-type hat-trick over fences in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Saturday.

The Getaway gelding sold for £135,000 after winning a four-year-old maiden and went on to win his first three starts over hurdles, including a listed contest, for Ben Pauling and Tim Radford. The bay fell on chase debut but has remained perfect since, landing two Grade 2 chases.

Reunited with Ben Jones at Sandown, he made all of the running and dug deep when challenged by the favourite Jango Baie. The pair battled to the line, where Handstands prevailed by a short head, with 17 lengths back to the third.

The winning rider reported: “I got close to two out and Jango Baie came upsides me but I gave Handstands an inch of rein and I've never experienced a horse take off and quicken the way he did. He's got so much class and we still haven't got to the bottom of him.”

“Handstands is a proper horse,” Pauling later declared. “We've got a plan for Handstands that we're going to stick to - we're going to Aintree and he's going to be better over further. He's a proper stayer who has speed as well.”

Bred by Brendan and Mary Fitzpatrick, Handstands has now won seven of his nine career starts. The son of Getaway is the best performer out of the mare Wattle Bridge, who has a full-brother yet to run.