Clash of the titans at Hastings
Top-class hurdlers The Cossack and Dr Hank are going head-to-head in the Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3100m) at Hastings today.
Leading jumps jockey Shaun Phelan regularly partners both horses but has opted for The Cossack, citing his superior record, particularly on his local track at Hastings.
While he is confident heading into the race with The Cossack, he holds great admiration for Dr Hank, who he rode to victory last start in the Waikato Hurdle (3200m).
‘‘I’d love to be riding Dr Hank, but I can’t give up the ride on the best jumper in the country.
‘‘Dr Hank is a good horse as well so it will be interesting to see how they match up because The Cossack is going to be giving him so much weight,’’ Phelan said of the six kilogram difference.
‘‘The Cossack will be hard to beat on the Hawke’s Bay track. Dr Hank has done nothing wrong and he is on the way up.
‘‘I will just ride my own race, but it would be awesome to see them come up level-headed with a couple of jumps to go and be a match-race.’’
Phelan will also ride No Tip for trainers Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal in the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase (4800m).
The training duo will have a twopronged attack in the steeplechase feature, with Argyll, whom Phelan partnered to win the Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) last start, set to clash with his older stablemate. ‘‘I will ride No Tip in the Steeplechase. He won there (Hastings) two weeks ago,’’ Phelan said.
‘‘Charlie Case is going to ride Argyll and they are quite even to be fair too. No Tip is getting up in the weights too.’’
Phelan is thrilled to be linking with
Hawke’s Bay trainers Nelson and McDougal, who have a host of topclass jumpers and have sent out 12 winners from their past 35 starters since the beginning of May.
‘‘I have been lucky to ride the Nelson and McDougal horses this season and everything is going well. A couple of years ago they got a virus but the team is going really well this season,’’ Phelan said. ‘‘They are great conditioners of horses and anyone that has spent some time at Paul’s property knows it is a lovely set-up. ‘‘They have done plenty of work and when they go to the races it is a good day out for them. They are quite fresh and looking forward to it.
‘‘It is not strenuous work, but they have a 1000m grass gallop that is quite steep and they might go up it two or three times on a gallop day.