Jackfrost and Go Go Gonzo get their chance at last

THE wait will finally be over for talented jumpers Go Go Gonzo and Jackfrost in the Otago Hurdles at Wingatui tomorrow.

A series of unforeseen events has meant the promising pair have not taken a leap over any raceday fences since the Grand National meeting last August.

Go Go Gonzo ran a brave second in last year’s Grand National Hurdle and trainer Sean Cameron is looking to go one better in the race this year.

The horse’s starting point towards that goal and defending his Sydenham Hurdles crown was meant to be a hurdle event at Riverton early last month, but he had to be scratched after a trackwork incident.

‘‘He dropped the rider at Riccarton and did four laps of the track by himself,’’ Cameron said.

‘‘It was the day before he was supposed to go to Riverton so I thought there was no use putting him on the truck for eight hours and racing a day later.’’

Go Go Gonzo made it to Riverton later last month, only for the meeting to be abandoned.

Waiting a month to finally step out over jumps has the horse raring to go, Cameron said.

‘‘I can’t fault him. He is jumping out of his skin, actually.’’

The trainer has only one concern going into tomorrow’s meeting — his horse’s 68kg impost.

‘‘He is not a very big horse and a few others around him are claiming, so that will be interesting.’’

The Wingatui track was in great order, considering its heavy rating, for its meeting last week and should be to Go Go Gonzo’s liking tomorrow.

‘‘So long as it is loose early in the day, he is quite light on his feet, so hopefully he will ping through the ground,’’ Cameron said.

A float mishap prevented Jackfrost from lining up at Riverton’s first May jumping meeting.

He was then denied a run when its second meeting was called off.

The Brian and Shane Andertontrained hurdler last stepped out over hurdles when he kept his unbeaten record over jumps intact in winning an undercard race at the Grand National meeting at Riccarton last year.

The 7yrold’s 66kg gives him a key 3kg weight advantage over Go Go Gonzo in tomorrow’s jumping feature.

Emerging hurdlers the Energizer and The Young Pretenda are even better off than the favoured pair.

They both carry just 62kg, courtesy of their riders claiming 3kg.

Flat rider Jacob Lowry will make a rare appearance over jumps in tomorrow’s event, riding Gold Leaf.