Tag Archive for: Endless Escape

Cheltenham Festival in mind for Endless Escape

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Cheltenham is on the horizon for Ben Clarke’s unbeaten hurdler Endless Escape.

The seven-year-old placed in an Irish point-to-point before joining Clarke’s yard and making a winning hurdles debut at Lingfield in November.

That victory was followed by a 22-length success at Wincanton on Boxing Day and then a Ffos Las win in late January sealed the hat-trick.

As a result the daughter of Getaway was the 8-11 favourite at Newcastle on Saturday and her winning streak continued when she landed the Break From The Herd With Vertem Novices’ Hurdle under Ben Jones by three and a quarter lengths.

“She’s been great, she was odds-on at Newcastle the other day and people may have expected her to do it a bit easier but I was very happy and Ben Jones was very happy,” Clarke said.

“She hated that ground, it was very tacky, and she’s never a horse that’s going to go and offer it up and win by 30 lengths. She’s a horse that’ll only do as much as she has to do.

“We were very happy, Ben said she just needed a little bit of company out in front.”

Endless Escape is entered for the Grade Two Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and is likely to take her chance if the conditions at Prestbury Park prove suitable.

Clarke said: “We’re going to look at Cheltenham and if we get a bit of dig in the ground, we’ll go.

“I think she deserves a crack at something nice now, if she doesn’t go there then we’d perhaps look at Kelso or Fairyhouse later in the month.”

Either way, the mare has more than paid her way so far as she was a bargain purchase via the online sales site ThoroughBid, through which she was bought for just £6,500 in June.

“We bought her through ThoroughBid for £6,500 and she’s progressed and progressed,” said Clarke.

“She’s very straightforward at home, we don’t do an awful lot with her, just tick her along and keep her happy.

“I say to the owners that she spends most of her life asleep but the rare moments when she’s awake she really does deliver on the racetrack, so we don’t mind.

“I wouldn’t mind a few more, especially at that price!”

Endless Escape continues winning run for Ben Clarke

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Endless Escape has earned herself a rise in class next month by bringing up a hat-trick at Ffos Las as jump racing returned on Monday following the big freeze.

A winner of both starts since joining Ben Clarke, the 5-2 shot had to concede 5lb to the 8-15 favourite Vicki Vale in the Download The Vickers.Bet App Novices’ Hurdle and it was the market principles who fought out the finish with the winner keeping on well to strike by two lengths.

She will now be stepped up in trip for a Sandown Grade Two on February 16, with her handler believing there will be plenty more improvement to be seen at two and a half miles.

“We were delighted with her,” said Clarke. “We were hoping she would run nicely today to earn herself a crack at the Sandown Grade Two (Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) next month.

“The Skelton horse (Vicki Vale) in the race was clearly a smart horse judged on her Hereford run and we’re absolutely delighted, especially giving the runner-up 5lb as well.

“She will only ever do as much as she has to, she’s quite workmanlike. There is certainly more to come and she will be better for a step up in trip as well.”

He went on: “She has proven herself on three very different tracks the last three times and in different ground as well.

“She’s a proper staying two-miler in stiff conditions, but really she wants two and a half and I think that’ll bring out more improvement which will obviously be needed stepping up in Grade. She’s a smart mare going in the right direction.”

Hercules Morse (100-30) opened his account at the third attempt to win division one of the Best Odds Guaranteed At Vickers.Bet Everyday Maiden Hurdle with Ben Pauling tentatively highlighting Sandown’s EBF Final as an option for his strapping five-year-old.

“He’s a lovely, great big individual who will want plenty of time,” said the winning trainer.

Trainer Ben Pauling was in the winner's enclosure at Ffos Las on Monday
Trainer Ben Pauling was in the winner’s enclosure at Ffos Las on Monday (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I’m not saying he doesn’t have ability because he clearly has. He lugged slightly right there today and won despite that, but he’s a lovely horse for next year and beyond really.

“He’s a classy horse, he moves well and he’s got everything is in the right place, but he’s doing well to be doing what he’s doing at the moment considering his size.

“We might look at something like the EBF Final with him, but he’s not going to be thrown in at the real deep end anytime soon.”

Nick Schofield registered his first winner since returning from injury when partnering Jonjo O’Neill’s Regal Blue (4-1) to victory in the second division, while Dan Skelton’s Real Stone (8-1) won the Vickers.Bet Independent Family Owned Bookmaker Handicap Chase.

The most valuable race of the day went the way of Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Equinus (5-2) who built on some smart novice form to take the Vickers.Bet Handicap Hurdle when stepping up in trip on his handicap bow.

“I was very pleased with him and he’s improved with every run. He’s done it really nicely and it’s great to be back racing again,” said Twiston-Davies.

“We may try to get EBF qualified and go for the Final at Sandown, that seems the sensible thing to do if we have enough time.”