Captains Run flew under the radar in last year’s Great Northern Steeplechase (6500m) and nearly caused a big upset, and he is heading into Saturday’s Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) with a goal of going one better.
Last year’s Tarzino Trophy Day at Hastings will live long in the memory of Sam Bergerson.
Mark Oulaghan reigned supreme with his star jumpers West Coast and Berry The Cash during the Grand National Carnival last year, and the Awapuni horseman is back and favoured to repeat his heroics on Saturday.
Leading jockey Lisa Allpress will be on the sidelines for an indefinite period after suffering a broken vertebra following a fall at Riccarton Park on Wednesday.
The $100,000 TAB 2000 was tailor-made for a horse like Heart Of Gold, and the Sam Mynott-trained gelding simply dominated the feature at Cambridge Synthetic on Thursday.
Te Akau Racing’s Riccarton barn were instrumental in their premiership defence last season, adding 64 victories to their 169 win haul, and their southern base have kicked of the new term in similar fashion.
Rudyard made impressive progress last campaign and further improvement is expected from the dependable performer this time around.
Two members of the current All Blacks rugby squad are hoping they will have cause for a double celebration this weekend.
Ashley Frye has waited over a decade to get back into the winner’s circle, but that wait is now over after guiding Float to success in the Nautical Insurance Grand National Amateur Championship (2200m) at Riccarton Park Synthetic on Wednesday.
A classy field of synthetic specialists assembled at Riccarton Park in search of the rich spoils on offer in the inaugural Ripple Creek Equine Polytrack $100,000 (1200m), but the glory went the way of local trainers Russell McKay and Ashley Harrington with Spartan.
