Ipswich winner safe after escaping course

Stoutly bred Aristocat has given trainer Stuart Kendrick some anxious moments after his win at Ipswich, escaping from the course into nearby streets.

Aristocrat ($2.60) won a slogging duel with Princely Sum ($2.45) in a maiden (1550m) on Wednesday.

He then escaped from the swabbing stalls and took off.

He was eventually captured by racecourse staff some 500 metres away in a nearby street.

Kendrick breathed a deep sigh of relief when told the gelding had been found.

“It was a first for me. I jumped in the car and was looking everywhere for him,” Kendrick said.

“Some of the staff raced out into the streets and tracked him down. He seems OK except for some skin off a fetlock but we will obviously monitor him.”

“He has had two strong gallops today so he should be nice and fit.”

Kendrick said Aristocat should develop into a good stayer.

“He is by a Melbourne Cup winner in Americain and I was a bit worried when they reduced the start to 1550 metres from 1700,” he said.

“But I think you will see a really good horse when he gets to 2000 metres.”