Magnanimous man Shaun feelin’ the love again after breaking wrist

Shaun Phelan may have missed the majority of the jumps season through injury but he i s delighted he has managed to return to raceday riding in time for the end- of- season features.

Phelan had been sidelined after breaking his wrist when schooling a horse in June and it has been a frustrating few months sitting on the sidelines for the gun hoop.

He was able to make a return to raceday riding at the Pakuranga Hunt Cup meeting at Ellerslie a fortnight ago and he said his biggest i ssue hasn’t been his wrist.

“The wrist is fine, it’s just been a bit of a battle with my weight but that was always to be expected,” he said.

“I usually naturally walk around over 70kg. The body has just not been used to losing weight quickly.”

Phelan has had to drop more than 5kg to ride Magnanimous Man in the ARC Great Northern Hurdle ( 4190m) at Ellerslie today and he said it was always a target to be back for this race.

“I was always going to come back and ride this horse of ours. I knew we wouldn’t have a rider,” said Phelan, who trains the gelding in partnership with his father Craig.

“A lot of our jumps riders come from overseas and we haven’t had the opportunity to scout those riders this year. It is a bit of a problem, so hopefully we can sort it for next season.”

Magnanimous Man takes a solid form line into today, having won his t wo lead- up hurdle assignments before finishing runner- up on the flat at Woodville last start.

His trainers elected to bypass the

Pakuranga Hunt Hurdle ( 3350m) in favour of the flat race.

“We are just happy we decided to give him that run on the flat instead of running on the hard track on Pakuranga Hunt day,” Phelan said.

“He is bulletproof at the moment, he is in really good form and is very well. From a trainer’s and rider’s perspective, I couldn’t be happier.

“We know he is going into the race with fresh legs and he is well.”

Magnanimous Man has been installed a $ 4.20 second favourite for the Great Northern Hurdle behind Aigne at $ 3.20.

Phelan has also picked up the ride aboard Perry Mason in the ARC Great Northern Steeplechase ( 6400m).

“I was lucky enough to pick up a good ride like him,” he said. “He is a proven horse and those proven horses should always be thereabouts. Paul Nelson is a good trainer and this is probably his best chance to get that distance on the better going. If he is at his best, he will be a good ride.”