Winter Escape

Winter Escape ran well for a long way in the Troytown Chase. Held up early on by Simon Torrens, he made nice ground at the end of the back straight to move up just behind the leaders. He got in tight to the fourth last fence, but he was still there with a chance as they turned for home, he was only about three lengths behind the leaders jumping the third last fence. He came under pressure at that point, and he just tired from there, ultimately fading to finish sixth, but it was still a fine run, over the longest distance over which he had ever raced.

Aidan Howard’s horse was worth a try over this trip, but it probably stretched his stamina. His best runs last season were over two and a half miles, when he won a Grade 3 novices’ chase at Cork and when he beat A Plus Tard and Jetz in another Grade 3 contest at Punchestown in January. He didn’t win after that last season, but he was highly tried, his next three runs were in Grade 1 races. He shaped nicely on his seasonal debut this term, in a Grade 3 hurdle at Tipperary in early October. The handicapper dropped him by 1lb for his Troytown run, down to a mark of 148 and, while that is a high enough mark, it is still a mark off which he could be competitive, dropped back down in trip. He could be a horse for a Grade 2 or Grade 3 race over the intermediate trip, and he is worth keeping in mind for a good handicap chase over a stiff two and a half miles or an easy three miles.

Navan, 24^th November 2019