Hastings trainers Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal will take a team of two across the Island to line-up at Hawera on Sunday.
Eight-year-old gelding Raucous will be looking to keep his perfect steeplechase record intact when he lines-up in the MJ Concept & Construction LTD Steeplechase (3800m).
A winner over hurdles, his trainers elected to target a steeplechase event at Rotorua last month where the son of Nom Du Jeu showed his adeptness over the bigger fences.
“I was very pleased with his last run. He seems to have done everything right since,” Nelson said.
Looking towards Sunday, Nelson said he will be met by some stiff opposition.
“The fields are a bit better,” he said. “Albaron is in there, and he shows a fair bit of promise, and there is another couple in there that we will know they are there.”
Nelson is also looking forward to lining up stable newcomer Rocking Good Time in the Lockwood Homes Taranaki Get Over Any Hurdle (3200m).
Previously trained by part-owner Ralph Manning, the eight-year-old gelding has recently joined Nelson’s Hawke’s Bay barn to kick-off his jumping career.
“I have only had him for a couple of weeks, but he seems like a nice horse,” Nelson said.
“He schooled twice last week and this week he schooled on Wednesday and went pretty nicely.
“He has been jumping for about three years as part of his training with Ralph. They like him a fair bit I think.”
Meanwhile, Nelson said his star jumper The Cossack has undergone treatment this week after not showing his usual gusto when winning the Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3200m) last weekend.
The victory extended the gelding’s winning streak to three and Nelson is now considering his options across the Tasman with the eight-year-old.
“He is going very well, but he was under the pump on Saturday,” Nelson said.
“We had the back man (chiropractor) to him on Tuesday and he was very sore. I think that is part of the reason why he didn’t show the same amount of zip as he has done.
“He went for a trot this morning and he seemed very bright.
“We are still working it out, we haven’t made any set plans as yet. Australia is one option for us.”
