Danza Lad’s jump start
MANY of Saturday’s Te Rapa jumpers will be back in a fortnight for the Waikato Hurdles and Waikato Steeplechase with fitness levels ramped up.
It’s been a long time between drinks for the winner of Saturday’s open steeplechase who sprung a pleasant surprise on his connections.
Legendary trainer John Wheeler prepares the 8-year-old he co-owns with his wife Linda and the horse’s breeders Te Aroha’s Matijasevich family.
Shaun Phelan did the riding to the trainer’s instructions who went into the race with low expectation for the 50 to one shot.
‘‘I said to Shaun ‘get him going’ - he tends to loaf - and he did,’’ Wheeler said.
Fair Script will likely be back in a fortnight as will runner-up Palemo who won the Waikato Steeplechase in 2014.
Three runners came home riderless in the steeples with early reports suggesting all horses and riders escaped any significant injury.
Three likely contestants for the upcoming $50,000 hurdle fought out the finish of Saturday’s restricted open contest over 2800m with Danza Lad scoring victory ahead of Ngatira Gold and Thenamesbond.
Danza Lad can be a difficult customer for his riders, but Stuart Higgins handled him expertly in his first ride on the Rudy Lieftingtrained winner of 12 races, Saturday’s his second in five TRISH DUNELL attempts as a hurdler.
‘‘I thought he might have been a bit of a tough job,’’ said Higgins who had studied film of some of his runs. ‘‘Thankfully he wasn’t too bad today and he won easily.
‘‘I just hope I get back on him! I’m not sure what Rudy has got planned, but I’d love to get the chance to ride him again.’’
Southland-based Higgins, 25, was on his first venture north to ride after answering a call from Liefting.
He began his New Zealand riding career last season with three jumps wins in the South Island and didn’t need to be asked twice.
Earlier the maiden hurdle provided a stirring contest to get the jumps season underway in the north.
Confidence was the key to the race for both horse and rider with Nothing Trivial claiming the honours for emerging jumps jockey Reece Cole.
The Wayne Hiilis-trained hurdler gained confidence from a couple of races over the sticks last season while Cole’s confidence came from a gutsy flat race win aboard the horse leading into Saturday’s race.
Cole gave the horse a perfect ride and the pair got the better of gallant runner-up Perry Mason over the last obstacle after they had waged a tooth and nail battle.
‘‘It was a very good ride,’’ Hillis said. Reece rode exactly as I told him.’’