The powerful jumping stable of Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal will be out in full force at Te Rapa on Saturday, with the return of champion galloper The Cossack headlining their attack in the feature events.
Now an 11-year-old, The Cossack has won a phenomenal 15 jumping races, including a pair of Great Northern Hurdles (4200m), a Grand National Hurdle (4200m) and last year’s Wellington Steeplechase (5500m).
After his success at Trentham, the son of Mastercraftsman was ruled out of the Grand National Steeplechase (5500m) and the remainder of last season through injury, but after appearing on the flat on two occasions this term, he is chasing a three-peat in the Signature Homes Waikato Steeplechase (3900m).
“This was a suitable race to start with him, he would have had weight to carry at Trentham last week as well,” Nelson said. “His last run on the flat was very good.
“All four of them have done very similar work, they galloped last Thursday, again on Wednesday morning, and they’ll have one more little gallop before the weekend.”
As he is so accustomed to doing, The Cossack will carry a clear topweight of 73kg in the race, which will give his trainers a clearer view on what’s to come this season.
“Who knows, he’s a year older, but he’s earned the weight and he’s got to carry it,” Nelson said. “It’s very much a wait and see this year, but we’ll know more after Saturday.”
A potential danger to the star will be his own stablemate Nedwin, a Great Northern Hurdle winner in his own right, who made a winning debut over the bigger fences at Te Rapa last month.
“He was really good, he couldn’t have gone much better than that,” Nelson said.
“It’s a jumping race, anything can happen.”
Earlier in the meeting, Nelson and McDougal will line-up two of the major players in the Fairview Homes Waikato Hurdle (3200m) in Taika and Dictation.
A placegetter in last year’s Awapuni Hurdle (3100m), Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3100m), Wellington Hurdles (3200m), and Great Northern Hurdle, Taika struck first in the new season, defeating Dictation and a number of other race rivals at the Waikato venue last month.
“He (Taika) was very good because he was probably still a bit burly, but he was able to do the job,” Nelson said.
“Dictation was a bit on the bigger side going into that race as well and I’m hoping he’s improved with the run, the rider and co-trainer (McDougal) tells me he has.
“I think they could be quite evenly matched going forward.”
The stable will also have two representatives heading across to Wanganui on Saturday, including a more recent addition to their stable in Lord Bishop. Raced by Nelson alongside stable employee Grace Stewart, the son of Vadamos debuted last May and will be fresh-up for over a year.
“We got her (Stewart) first, then we inherited the horse a bit later,” Nelson said. “We looked at the pedigree and thought it was alright, so we’d take the horse.
“We’re hoping to see him finishing off, in his jump-outs he’s gone out a bit quick. We’ll see what he does on Saturday.”
Homebred gelding Kwanza is among the key chances in the RB Recruitment MDN 2040, and Nelson is not doubting his staying ability.
“I think the middle distance will suit him nicely,” he said. “One day, one of our riders fell off him on the track and he did seven rounds before we caught him, then we thought we’d caught him, and he turned around the other way and did another two or three. After all that, he came home like he hadn’t done any work.”