Rising hurdling star Nedwin remained unbeaten over the hurdles this winter when he took out the Hydra Cell Wellington Hurdles (3400m) at Trentham.
A canny ride by Shaun Phelan saw him keep the warm $1.80 favourite out wide in better ground throughout the gruelling 3400m journey on the Heavy10 surface as the seven-year-old Niagara gelding made light of his 69kg to win comfortably.
Phelan and Nedwin never put a foot wrong as they jumped cleanly throughout in midfield before issuing their challenge at the 800m mark.
Second favourite Mizzena joined issue along the inner at that point and the pair drew clear in the home straight to fight out the finish where Nedwin proved too strong over the last two obstacles to run out a ten-length winner.
The victory continued a remarkable run for training partners Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal who have dominated the jumping events this season.
“We thought Nedwin was our best chance today although Paul wasn’t overly happy with the weight he had to carry,” McDougal said.
“It was a big step up for him and he handled the track well as it looks very testing.
“He actually won a race here in similar ground in June last year, so we thought he could handle it, but it was a lovely ride by Shaun as he let him do his own thing all the way around and gave him every opportunity.”
Nedwin now looks likely to tackle the Hospitality NZ Canterbury Grand National Hurdles (4200m) at Riccarton on August 10.
“I’m pretty sure he will go to Riccarton for the National Hurdles next,” McDougal said,
“He measures his fences well and gets into a rhythm with his jumping, so he should be suited by the big roomy track down there.
“He is an easy horse to ride and very popular at home as he just does what you ask of him without any hassle at all.
“He could be unbeaten over fences as we may have taken the edge off him last year before his first hurdle start where he only ran fourth, but he hasn’t looked back this season and while you are going well you have to take what opportunities there are for you.”
Nelson and McDougal tried hard to pull off the feature jumping double on the day with co-topweight No Tip trying his heart out in the Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase (5500m), however it was outsider Tittletattle with Gary Walsh aboard for trainer Dean Cunningham who upset the applecart at $22.50 on the tote.
Walsh bided his time at the rear of the nine-horse field and was still well off the pace with two jumps to clear as favourites No Tip and Albaron looked likely to fight out the finish.
Photo credit: Race Images – Peter Rubery
Walsh and Tittletattle found their second wind as they returned to the course proper in the home straight and ran clear to win by an increasing seventeen-length margin at the line as she became the first mare since Gaiety in 1949 to win the race.
It was also the first victory for the nine-year-old mare at her 32nd start with Cunningham admitting he had been confident of a good performance but not necessarily a winning one.
“That was amazing and she really showed some fight in that last 800m,” he said.
“It’s not a bad way to break your maiden I guess, but she has gone some good races in this type of contest in the past.
“Gary rides her really well and when he asked her to come into the race, she made up a lot of ground in a hurry.
“I had thought she could get some of the money today but when you haven’t won a race before it’s a little hard to be that confident of a win.
“I knew she wouldn’t give up and when she charged into a gap coming on to the course proper, I started to think she could win it.”
Cunningham will now set his sights on the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Grand National Steeplechase (5600m) at Riccarton on August 13, a race that Tittletattle ran fourth in in 2021.
“I had been thinking about Riccarton and now she has won I guess that’s where we will be going,” he said.
“She has towed me back to the tie-ups after the race so she didn’t seem to take any ill effect from her effort and is as bright as a button.
“I hadn’t thought about starting her on the first day down at Riccarton but will have a think about it now depending on how she does between then and now.”
Video: Nedwin wins at Trentham
Video: Tittletattle takes out the feature steeplechase at Trentham
