A Grade One tilt now beckons for Handstands, after he ran out a clear winner of the DragonBet Towton Novices’ Chase at Ffos Las to add another Grade Two victory to his CV.
Carrying a 5lb penalty for his win at the same level at Sandown in December, the Ben Pauling-trained gelding was to the fore from flag-fall alongside Cherie d’Am.
The latter ultimately dropped away tamely after Handstands and Ben Jones took over on the run to the fourth-last, which the even-money favourite was a little slow at.
Lord Of Thunder did very well to get back into it and attempt to go with him after being severely hampered by the fall of Range, but Handstands always looked in control and drew right away after the last.
They were the only two finishers, in what proved a gruelling affair.
Pauling said: “I was delighted and we were learning plenty as we have never run on that tacky, holding, hard-work ground before.
“I’ve heard the reaction and some people suggested he was a bit novicey, but I think he was just learning to get out of the ground to be honest and making too much effort and ballooning a couple as a result.
Handstands is likely to head to Sandown for his next outing following his Towton success
“Ultimately he has done it very well and Ben was delighted with how he jumped after he ballooned the ditch and it’s another step in the right direction. It looked a competitive enough field on paper and I know there was some misfortune at the third-last but I think they were all coming to the end of their tether and it was probably why they fell.
“I was really quite taken with how well he was going turning for home, he just quickened off the bend and sort of put the race to bed and after the last he somehow quickened again.
“Ben said he finished the race as fresh as a daisy and doesn’t think he has had an overly-hard race which is quite extraordinary considering the ground there today. I’m just delighted and it’s another step on the road for a nice, progressive young novice chaser.”
Handstands could now make a relatively quick return to action at Sandown on February 1 for a step up to Grade One company in the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase.
And with Pauling and the gelding’s owners willing to bypass the Cheltenham Festival and a potential clash with high-ranking stablemate The Jukebox Man, the six-year-old could instead head to Aintree in the spring.
“It’s a quick enough turnaround for the Scilly Isles, but that would very much be on our minds if he comes out of this in good form,” continued Pauling.
“The Radfords have never been overly fussed by going to Cheltenham with him this year, they are not trying to avoid it, but they think the Scilly Isles and possibly Aintree might be the way forward and I can’t say I disagree.
“If we manage to get to the Scilly Isles in good form he will have been busy enough and will be his fourth run of the season and that and on to Aintree could round up a lovely season for him really.”
He went on: “We’ve some lovely horses coming through and are lucky to have the owners to buy us these horses. So I have to say a huge thank you to them really.
“Of course I wouldn’t really want to go and take on The Jukebox Man at Cheltenham, but if the Radfords wanted to go I would. However, it’s a nice position to be in to be able to keep them apart.”
