'Kiss' between friends on way to victory

The sedate image of Te Awamutu 84-year-old, part-owner and co-trainer Bill Weal leaning on his walking stick at the official presentation didn't come even close to telling the entire story of Saturday's $33,500 Braxton Waikato Steeplechase.

It told you nothing of the volatility that dominated the preceding 10 minutes that even the winner Climbing High could not escape.

The record books will show Climbing High won as hot favourite - the reality was much different.

* Climbing High owed much of his victory to the tenacity of Shelley Houston to stay in the saddle at a near blunder at the 1400m.

* Pacemaker Black Eagle narrowly escaped disaster when he almost collided with the riderless No Rush'n with a round to travel.

* Black Eagle, in his first jumping start in three years, crashed heavily at the first fence in the home straight 375m from the finish when lying second.

* Penstar fell on the flat in the "country" with 1700m to run and became wedged under the running rail.

* Tom Hazlett fell from No Rush'n, when the horse put in an awkward jump at the second fence.

* Havana City fell at the first fence and replacement jockey Richard Eynon remounted to complete the course half a lap behind to pick up the $1675 for fourth place.

* Logan James fell heavily down the back straight the last time. The mayhem took centre stage for a while, but this day belonged to Climbing High, Bill Weal and the big number of family members who race the classy jumper with him and to rider Shelley Houston.

This race looked simple - Black Eagle is a topliner, but he hadn't had a jumps race in three years and his fitness was suspect, whereas Climbing High was safe and very fit.

Climbing High would run past the pacemaking Black Eagle in the final 700m.

That did happen, but not before Climbing High, Shelley Houston and the army of punters that took the short odds had near heart attacks at the fence by the 1400m on the last round as Climbing High was about to make his run after Black Eagle in front.

Climbing High landed awkwardly and Houston went over one side of the horse, corrected, but then nearly went over the other side before regaining her balance.

"He was coming into the fence too long [in his stride] and I didn't have confidence he'd come back to me, so I kicked him into it.

"In some ways it's the wrong thing to do, but I didn't have too many options - sometimes you've just got to do what you've got to do.

"He was just starting to feel the pinch at the time which made it worse.

"If he'd have fallen I'd have blamed myself."

Houston's price to pay was a fat upper lip, which she was happy to display on unsaddling.

"When he dipped and brought his head back he hit me in the head - just say I was trying to kiss him."

The cheerful demeanour around Bill Weal was worth the price of admission.

"This horse keeps Bill going," said son Mark, who has his name in the racebook as co-trainer.

"Dad arrives every morning and puts him on the walker and every afternoon he brushes and feeds him."

It's a heart-warming story in a game that is as tough as teak.

Jumps jockeys don't take prisoners and replacement rider Richard Eynon remounted Havana City after falling heavily at the first fence and continued for the remaining two laps of Te Rapa to pick up fourth place and the $1675 cheque.

Climbing High is great viewing. He is a prolific jumper despite Saturday's unusual lapse and he is one of the increasing band of topline jumpers and horses that were rare until recently - jumpers that are not overly keen on rain-affected footing.

"He's okay in wet ground, but when you're so brilliant you lose your advantage when it's really wet.

"He'll go forward to Ellerslie and follow the main path - you don't have too many options with a horse like him," said Mark Weal.

Climbing High is not ideal for the Great Northern Steeplechase which, more than any other race, is about knock-down, drag-out stamina.

With few options, don't bet on the Weals not having a look at the race.

Black Eagle was brilliant as usual and he can be excused in getting tired late in the race.

"He felt terrific and he'll keep," said Melbourne jockey Craig Durden.

Connections are about to make the decision to send him to Melbourne.