Shaun Phelan will gain an extra dose of satisfaction if he can guide the in-form Kajino (NZ) (Raise The Flag) to victory in Sunday’s Great Northern Hurdle (4200m) at Te Rapa.
The top jumps jockey played a significant role in owner-trainer Diana Kennedy securing the eight-year-old, who will face the sternest test of his burgeoning career in the Peter Kelly Bayleys-sponsored feature.
The Cambridge horsewoman was on the lookout last year for a potential jumper and Phelan recommended she contact the horse’s retiring trainer Ernie Griffiths with a purchase agreement subsequently reached.
Kajino has since won three times over the smaller fences, including an open hurdle success at Te Rapa in July with Phelan in the saddle, and also finished runner-up in the Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3100m).
There was plenty of merit in that performance as he was beaten by star performer The Cossack (NZ) (Mastercraftsman), who 12 months ago provided Phelan with his first victory in the Great Northern Hurdle.
He is delighted to be reunited with Kajino on Sunday and acknowledged the booking was a fortuitous one for him.
“I had Dr Hank (NZ) (Redwood) going for the race and I was committed to him, but they didn’t pay up with him and I was lucky enough to get back on Kajino,” Phelan said.
“Dr Hank pulled a shoe and was a bit tender and they couldn’t get enough work into him.
“I’m very, very lucky to be on Kajino and I do rate him. I rode him early on and he’s a pretty promising horse. Diana has done a super job and to be fair to the horse, it’s his first season as a jumper.”
Phelan will also be aboard leading Ben Foote Racing Great Northern Steeplechase (6500m) hope No Tip (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu) for trainers Paul Nelson and Corinna McDougal.
He guided the 11-year-old to a last-start success in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4800m) at the expense of Magic Wonder (NZ) (Eighth Wonder), for whom he again has a healthy respect.
“I think the mare will be hard to beat, I reckon she will improve a bit more off that run and the weight (69.5kg) could get to my horse a bit,” Phelan said.
His other jumps ride at Te Rapa is No Tip’s stablemate Suliman (NZ) (Redwood) in the Fairview Motors Maiden Hurdle (2800m).
The Redwood gelding placed in his only previous outing over the small fences over this course and distance earlier this month and then finished a sound fifth on the flat in premier company at Hastings last Saturday.
“He went really well the other day and I think he should be hard to beat,” Phelan said.
He will be combining his riding and training roles at Te Rapa with flat runners Enchanted Elle (NZ) (Jakkalberry) and Quiz Kid (NZ) (Iffraaj) to represent his Cambridge stable.
Enchanted Elle will shoot for consecutive wins when she steps out in the BGP Battlers’ Cup (2400m) following her last-start effort to win an amateur riders’ event under 68kg on the track earlier this month in the hands of Phelan’s sister Leigh.
“It was a super win and she probably had about 20kg of dead weight on her back so it was quite a tough win from a little mare,” he said.
“She’s well-suited with 55.5kg on Sunday over 2400m, she’ll keep going all day.”
Quiz Kid will make his first appearance since finishing fourth at Hastings in July when he contests the Waikato Stud Winners Circle Mile (1600m).
“We’ve had a lot of problems getting him to the races this winter. He ran a couple of nice placings and then hurt himself when he got cast in his box,” Phelan said.
“Hopefully, we’ve got him right and he had a jump-out last week. A slow track would be perfect for him, but he will probably need a run and going forward we might be able to get him to a decent race before the tracks get too firm.”
