Cartwheels for Handstands!

Article by Coolmore, 8/1/2024

Handstands (Getaway) extends his unbeaten record with another smart performance in Saturday's Novices' Hurdle at Newcastle. 

The son of Getaway sold to Kilbride Equine for £135,000 following a successful start for Patrick Turley, and went on to run out a comfortable winner on his first start for Ben Pauling last month. He was sent off favourite to follow up over two and a half miles, with Ben Jones riding him to chase the leader for much of the way. Easing into the lead with four flights to jump, he began to draw clear from the second last and went on to win by seven lengths. 

Speaking after the race, Ben Pauling said, "The plan was to run Handstands and gain more experience, and Ben said when the others crowded him down the back straight he found plenty. He couldn't have done it any easier and we may look at the Listed Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle at Huntingdon on February 8th after that."

Owned by TP Radford, Handstands was bred by Brendan and Mark Fitzpatrick out of a half-sister to black-type winner Snake Eyes (Oscar).