Raymond Connors is hoping his Group 3 performer Hurry Cane still wants to be a racehorse and will find that out when he heads to Wanganui on Thursday to contest the Open Hurdle (3000m).
The 11- year-old gelding has been a great servant to Connors’ barn over the last seven seasons, winning five races on the flat, and placing in the Group 3 New Zealand Cup (3200m), before transitioning to a career over jumps where he has won one race apiece over the hurdles and steeples.
The son of Nom Du Jeu campaigned in Australia this time last year where he won a two-mile steeplechase at Pakenham and finished sixth in the Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) at Warrnambool.
Connors fears that trip may have knocked him, with Hurry Cane returning to run third in the Wellington Hurdle (3400m) but then finished second-to-last in his next two outings before being pulled up in the Great Northern Hurdle (4200m) at Te Rapa when losing contact with the field.
The Bulls horseman is hoping a long spell has rejuvenated his evergreen galloper, who finished fifth when first-up over 2200m at Woodville last week.
Connors was satisfied with that performance, but said Hurry Cane’s showing in his jumping return on Thursday will dictate whether he presses on with the gelding.
“He ran well enough the other day, it was honest enough for his first run back,” Connors said.
“He seems to be working well enough to take to the races, but I would like him to show a bit more on raceday.
“It will be interesting to see how he goes. I hope he shows a bit more than he did last year, he was a bit disappointing. The trip to Australia is what I am putting it down to, whether that just flattened him last year.
“It will be good to get a good line on him on Thursday and see whether he is worth persevering with. I hope he does, and we can keep going with him, otherwise we may need to think about retiring him.”
If Hurry Cane performs up to expectations on Thursday, Connors is looking forward to the remainder of the jumping season with him, with the aim of scoring a prestige jumps title.
“As long as he goes a nice race (on Thursday) is the main thing,” he said.
“If he is going well enough, we will go to Wellington or somewhere on the heavier tracks. He likes the wetter tracks, so once it gets a bit wetter it will help him.
“He has definitely got the ability and he seems alright at the moment, so I know that if he brings his A-game he is more than good enough.”
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