Light at end of the tunnel for embattled jumps racing

NZ Herald

23-05-2025

The early signs are good.
There have been some new names, equine and human, at jumps education and trials days with the promise of overseas jumps jockeys willing to winter in New Zealand – they are now getting a very attractive $400 per ride.
The Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton has been boosted to $200,000 with the potential West Coast could head there aiming for a record fourth straight win in the iconic race.
And the Nelson/McDougal comeback star The Cossack could possibly follow him south to set up something truly special, a rivalry to make jumps racing the highlight of race meetings rather than a novel sideshow.
So jumps racing enthusiasts have reasons to smile as they prepare for some class horses racing on an unseasonably good track at Te Rapa today.
'There is a good feel about things and I think we will get the jockey numbers we need with a few riders returning and some new ones coming from overseas,' Nelson says.
'There have been some new faces around the jumps days from stables we haven't seen jumping horses before and there are some good people involved and pushing it hard.
'We have 17 horses in work here and 14 are either jumpers now to are heading that way, so we are right behind it.'
The fact Te Rapa has been able to attract three races today is a promising sign as early season races run on Soft 6 tracks, as it was rated yesterday, have sometimes struggled for numbers in recent years.
There is plenty of form there too, with the open hurdle highlighted by last season's Great Northern winner Lord Spencer, his runner-up Mont Ventoux, the always exciting freegoer English Gambler and the Nelson/McDougal-trained pair of Taika and Dictation.
'It is a lot better than a normal open hurdle and should be a really good race,' Nelson says.
'If I try to tip you one of mine, the other one would probably win. We all now how good Taika is [Pakuranga Hunt Hurdle winner] but Dictation is a pretty talented horse.'
While they are both still finding their ceiling over hurdles, their stablemate Nedwin has already been to the top of our hurdling ranks and tries his hand at steeplechasing today in the restricted open chase over 3900m.
Nelson says his steeplechase debut today doesn't mean a permanent change for Nedwin.
'He might change between the two but he is pretty well and ready for this week.
'But, and I will say this about all four of ours, a bit of rain and a slightly softer track would suit them better.'
While it is encouraging to see three jumps racing today as most of the flat stars are spelling there is still some talent in today's open handicaps even after favourite Twain pulled out of the sprint because of a slightly off blood report.
That leaves the sprint quite even but if the track remains in the soft range it would seem to provide Velocious with a chance to return to the winner's circle providing she jumps away better than she has in recent starts.
Harlech will need every bit of his 4kg claim in the open 1600m as it still only brings his weight down to 58kg while most of his rivals carry just 54kgs or less.
The juvenile Race 3 is stacked with promising trial form and there is enough depth across to card to give punters a proper autumn feeling, one to be replicated when Ellerslie holds a rare Sunday meeting tomorrow.
English jockey George Rooke has enjoyed a breakthrough season in New Zealand, and he has been rewarded for his consistency with a trip to Sydney today. The 24-year-old hoop will cross the Tasman to partner the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained She's A Dealer in the Chalouhi Handicap at Randwick with a view to heading towards the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm next month.
Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald