Grand expectations for Gobstopper
hard to get me off now.’’
Gobstopper thrived with his jumping education and it showed on the track, with the seven-yearold running into form for the first time in 18 months on the flat when finishing runner-up to Zacada in the Rotorua Cup (2200m) in May.
His talents over hurdles were seen for this first time at Te Aroha in June where he won his maiden hurdle by 13 lengths and impressed his connections enough to warrant an Australian campaign. While Farr had every belief in Gobstopper, she admitted to being slightly nervous heading into his first-up run in Australia last start.
‘‘I was a little bit anxious going into it because I thought we had taken a big risk bringing him over and him only having one start [over hurdles] and one jumping trial, so he hasn’t done a lot of jumping,’’ she said.
However, Farr needn’t have worried, with Gobstopper running away to a 21⁄2 length victory and showing he is adapting well to his new discipline.
‘‘It was good that I managed to get a sit behind Euroman around the big corner,’’ Farr said.
‘‘I let him stroll along the back, which is how he likes to run his races, and he made one mistake, but he learnt from it very quickly and flew the next one and put himself back in the race.
‘‘It was quite easy in the end, he won going away from them. He was quite impressive.’’
Farr has also been pleased with Gobstopper’s attitude towards jumping and said his quirky personality has a lot to do with it. ‘‘He has a bit of a bold and arrogant personality on him. Everything he does, he does with purpose, even if it’s track work.
Farr is pleased with Gobstopper and believes he is in peak condition heading into his biggest jumping test to date.
‘‘I gave him a gallop on Wednesday at Cranbourne with Cochise and they went a really decent 1200m. He probably hasn’t galloped as good as that in a long time,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s kind of the same field [as last start] and a couple have been added in. I couldn’t pull him up after the Drechsler and I just can’t fault him at the moment.’’
Farr has been ticking up the frequent flyer points in recent months, flying between New Zealand and Australia to take care of Gobstopper and fulfill riding obligations back home.
The in-demand rider will do the same this weekend. She flew back from Melbourne yesterday to ride Laekeeper and Macklemore at Riccarton today, before flying back to partner with Gobstopper.
It is a hectic schedule for Farr, but she believes her two rides in New Zealand are worth her efforts. Laekeeper will attempt to make it back-to-back wins in the Sydenham Hurdles (3100m) after taking out last year’s race.
‘‘Laekeeper is very well,’’ she said. ‘‘I know he has only had two starts this year over fences, but he has done a lot of work at the beach. ‘I know 70 kilos is a bit of a lump, but he won it with 68kg last year beating Jackfrost and there is no Jackfrost in that field.
‘‘On ability he probably deserves to have the 70 kilos and he will still be very hard to beat.’’
Macklemore lines up in the Maiden Steeplechase (3200m) and Farr expects a good showing given the feedback she received from trainer John Wheeler.
Farr won’t be alone on her trip back to Melbourne tonight. She will be joined by fellow New Zealand jumps jockeys Matthew Gillies, Aaron Kuru, Buddy Lammas and her partner Shaun Phelan, who all have engagements at Sandown.