Evan Williams’ Supreme Escape prevails in Catterick’s showpiece North Yorkshire Grand National
![James Bowen riding Supreme Escape (right) on their way to winning the Vickers.Bet North Yorkshire Grand National Handicap Chase at Catterick Bridge Racecourse.](https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/webimg/QVNIMTI0MTQxNzYz.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65&enable=upscale)
![James Bowen riding Supreme Escape (right) on their way to winning the Vickers.Bet North Yorkshire Grand National Handicap Chase at Catterick Bridge Racecourse.](/img/placeholder.png)
EVAN Williams was thrilled to see Supreme Escape make the long journey from South Wales worthwhile by claiming top honours in the Vickers.Bet North Yorkshire Grand National.
With a prize fund of almost £31,000 up for grabs, the stamina-sapping contest is the most valuable race of the season at Catterick and racegoers were treated to a cracking renewal in the January sunshine.
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Hide AdSupreme Escape, trained 280 miles away in the Vale of Glamorgan, had been well-beaten in his last two starts, but there was clearly some confidence behind him as he was prominent in the market at 5-1.
![James Bowen reacts after winning the Vickers.Bet North Yorkshire Grand National Handicap Chase on Supreme Escape at Catterick Bridge Racecourse.](https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/webimg/QVNIMTI0MTQxNzYw.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65)
![James Bowen reacts after winning the Vickers.Bet North Yorkshire Grand National Handicap Chase on Supreme Escape at Catterick Bridge Racecourse.](/img/placeholder.png)
Sporting a first-time visor under a cool ride from James Bowen, the Dai Walters-owned eight-year-old powered home from the final obstacle to get up and deny Almazhar Garde by three-quarters of a length.
Williams saddled Billy Bronco to finish second in the 2018 running of this three-mile-six-furlong contest – his only previous runner at Catterick in the last decade.
“It was a very cool ride. James gets on very well with the horse and the visor has been a help, because at times the horse wants to do things his way,” said Williams whose string has been in fine form despite the recent tragic loss of former Grade One-winning hurdler Silver Streak on the gallops.
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Hide Ad“It’s a race we’ve gone up to in the past and they do such a good job, we try to support all these type of Nationals.
![Thomas Wilmott riding Jessiemac (right) on their way to winning in the racingtv.com Mares' Handicap Hurdle at Catterick Bridge Racecourse.](https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/webimg/QVNIMTI0MTQxNzYy.jpg?crop=3:2,smart&width=640&quality=65)
![Thomas Wilmott riding Jessiemac (right) on their way to winning in the racingtv.com Mares' Handicap Hurdle at Catterick Bridge Racecourse.](/img/placeholder.png)
“He might get into the Midlands National. He’d stay that trip so I’d say we’ll take a punt on that.”
Bowen, a previous winner of the Welsh Grand National and Midlands Grand National, was pleased to add the North Yorkshire edition to his CV.
He said of Supreme Escape: “He’s a good candidate for these Nationals and I’m sure he’s got a few more in him.
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Hide Ad“I was happy at the top of the straight but got in tight to two out, which probably worried me a little bit. But he’s really quick away from a fence and even when he’s not right, he grabs the bit and takes you to each fence, which always helps.
“Evan doesn’t tell you a lot. He just said ‘do what you want on him’. He’s very easy to ride for and it’s a pleasure to ride for him.”
Meanwhile Thomas Willmott confirmed his potential as one of jump racing’s most promising – and hardest working – conditional riders in the North with his last-gasp win on Jessiemac in the mares’ novices hurdle.
Previously attached to Lucinda Russell and Peter Scudamore’s yard, he switched to Sue and Harvey Smith’s Bingley stables a year ago shortly before being injured in an unlucky final flight fall at Newcastle.
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Hide AdHowever he won on the Smith-trained Tumbling Dice at Catterick on New Year’s Day – and had to be at his strongest to galvanise a winning run out of Jessiemac for Ian Duncan. This was Willmott’s ninth win of the current campaign – a career-best landmark.