Jumping buddies working together again

WELLINGTON: A long and successful association will continue at Trentham today when top jumper Amanood Lad makes his first appearance from Paul Nelson’s stable.

The 12yrold won five times over the big fences, including a Great Northern Steeples and two McGregor Grant Steeplechases, for Ben Foote before he transferred south.

‘‘Ben’s got a lot of young horses in work to focus on so he sent him down to me in midApril,’’ Nelson said.

‘‘We’ve worked closely for a number of years and Ben got Just Not Cricket going for me, as well as Second Innings and a Zabeel horse called He’s Not Vain, who we won a race with.’’

Amanood Lad will resume in the rating 65 2200m race for amateur riders, his first start since he was runnerup in last year’s Great Northern.

Nelson will also be represented by Perry Mason and The Shackler in the maiden hurdle and Kings Deep in the restricted open steeplechase.

‘‘The way Perry Mason has been going you’d have to favour him,’’ Nelson said.

‘‘He’s been going good races and he was a bit unlucky at Te Rapa. He got locked away on the inside and couldn’t get forward when he needed to. That won’t be happening again.’’

Kings Deep won three times over the smaller fences and finished runnerup in both the Great Northern and Grand National Hurdles before he was sidelined with a leg injury.

He was recently unplaced on the flat in his first start for nearly two years.

‘‘He’s a talented jumper and

he’s been in work for a long time, but he’s still quite big in condition,’’ Nelson said