Go Go Gonzo takes hurdle

‘‘Once in the straight she kicked him clear and the Zimmerman trained Mastercard was the only real chaser but only got to within half a length of the winner.’’

Go Go Gonzo displayed both strength and fitness when he won the open hurdle at Riccarton on Saturday on the opening day of the Grand National Carnival.

The Sean Cameron-owned and trained gelding was dominant in winning the 3100 metre hurdle event in the hands of Cambridge jumps jockey Hamish McNeil.

After struggling with top weight of 68kg on a very heavy track at his last start at Timaru and finishing only sixth of eight, he made amends on Saturday going away to win by eight and a half lengths.

Although his jumping wasn’t the most accurate he certainly toyed with his rivals and had plenty in hand when going to the line.

It was the fifth win for the eight-year-old by Golan, and his most decisive yet. He won two races on the flat before, breaking through with his maiden hurdle win at Timaru in mid-June. Following that win he scored at his next start over hurdles at Wingatui, before failing at Timaru on the unsuitable track.

Following the Grand National Carnival, Cameron will most likely bring his team back to Waiuku to reassess where they will be best placed over the spring.

Closer to home, it was good to see Leith Innes back in the riding ranks after a winter holiday, and he wasted no time in saluting the judge with a winner at Tauranga last Wednesday. He was successful on Leica Lady, a four-year-old Bachelor Duke mare owned by The Oaks Stud and trained by Frank Ritchie at Cambridge.

On Saturday at Te Rapa Pukekohe based jockey Sam Spratt demonstrated her front running riding skills winning a rating 75 1600 on Waipipi Lad. She soon had the Jon Miller trained gelding in front and settled him there stacking up the field behind him.

Once in the straight she kicked him clear and the Zimmerman trained Mastercard was the only real chaser but only got to within half a length of the winner.

Unfortunately it looks like we will be losing Jon Miller from the training ranks at Pukekohe Park as he is relocating to the Cambridge area.