Latest news with #GrandNationalSteeplechase
NZ Herald
23-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Light at end of the tunnel for embattled jumps racing
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
NZ Herald
09-05-2025
- Climate
- NZ Herald
Winter woes may bite racing early with Rotorua meeting under threat
'But there is a lot of rain expected tonight so we will come back first thing in the morning to ensure there is no surface water and it is safe.' If the meeting has to be postponed it would have to be rescheduled for Monday or Tuesday because there are already two thoroughbred meetings on Sunday. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing officials would prefer to hold a postponed meeting rather than abandon it, not just because of the lost revenue for the industry and participants but because of the black type races. While plenty of those in today's $100,000 Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup are just getting warmed up for some winter wars, many of the mares in the Rotorua ITM Stakes are using today's meeting as their last shot at black type for the season and will want today's meeting over and done with. One of those is Marotiri Molly, whose trainer Matt Dixon said this is her last major goal of a superb season. 'We have targeted this race and I don't want her ploughing around in the mud through winter,' says Dixon. 'I think it is an ideal race for her. She needed her run last start and has come in much better off in the weights against a horse like Tomodachi, who she conceded 6kg to last time. 'She handles heavy tracks okay so that doesn't worry me. But if it gets really heavy down on the inside later in the day, I am a bit concerned about her ace draw. 'Initially, it sounded good but it won't be if the track gets cut up on the inside. 'One thing that might help her is she has natural speed early so she might be able to get in front of plenty of them and dictate what line she takes around the home turn.' The race becomes harder to work out with every hour of rain but the best-backed mare yesterday was Lux Libertas, who was $7.50 into $6 after the track was downgraded to heavy, a surface she is unbeaten on in four starts. Trentham race on a heavy 10 today, while Ascot Park tomorrow will also be in that range. The only track not starting the weekend rated heavy is Whanganui, where the jumps racing season kicks off on Sunday. Tomorrow's meeting will host two hurdle races and one steeplechase, with the jumps racing community buoyed by the three-year lifeline it has been given after a NZTR review. There have been good numbers of newcomers trialling over jumps and at least three or four overseas jockeys are expected to come to New Zealand for the winter to ride, helping ease the critical shortage of jumps jockeys. The good news for the struggling discipline continued yesterday when the Canterbury Jockey Club announced the stake for this year's Grand National Steeplechase will rise to $200,000, double last year's stake when West Coast won the race for the third straight season. West Coast starts his path towards securing a fourth Grand National title when he contests a maiden flat race at Whanganui tomorrow. West Coast back, heavy 10 tracks and jumps racing. Yes, winter is here.
