Torn And Frayed

Torn And Frayed put up an encouraging performance on his seasonal debut and his chasing debut in finishing third behind Annual Invictus in the two-and-a-half-mile novices’ handicap chase at Cheltenham last Friday. Settled at the back of the five-runner field and along the inside, he jumped well and he travelled well to the top of the hill. He came under a ride from Sam Twiston-Davies on landing over the third last fence, and the front three got away from him a little on the run to the home turn, but he stayed on well from the second last, keeping on well on the far side to get up for third place in front of Faivoir, just a neck behind runner-up Danny Kirwan.

It was a good start to his chasing career for Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse. He was a progressive novice hurdler last season, when he proved that he could handle soft and heavy ground as well as this good ground. Two and a half miles was probably his optimum trip over hurdles, but he could get three miles over fences now. He was usually a prominent racer over hurdles, he raced prominently in recording both his wins over hurdles, and he will be of interest now when he adopts those tactics over fences. He is only seven, and he has the potential to go beyond his hurdles rating of 132 over fences.
Cheltenham, 22^nd October 2021