Escape makes it great day for Tizzard with British debut win

It was not only Thistlecrack who had Colin Tizzard enthusing about the future as he also saddled Elegant Escape to make a winning British debut in the style of a potentially smart young horse, the-four-year-old landing the second division of the 2m3½f maiden hurdle.

The trainer said: "I think that race will turn out to be very decent. He's a nice horse in the making who we picked up at the sales in Ireland last April for €150,000. It's a lot of money to pay but we hope he's worth it."

Results and analysis

Elegant Escape is owned by businessman John Romans, and Tizzard added: "John owns the Virginia Ash pub at Henstridge, about two miles from our yard and when I got back there on Sunday after being at Aintree there was a party in full swing.