Racing: A jolly good risk in steeplechase puzzle

The Jolly Dancer should be judged on his Manawatu placing two starts back. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

Dashing fencer The Jolly Dancer can bounce back from breath-holding drama Master jumps trainer Mark Oulaghan admits he's guessing along with punters as to what The Jolly Dancer will do at Trentham tomorrow.

That's cold comfort for the dashing Awapuni jumper's diehard fans in the $50,000 Wellington Steeplechase.

But after the 9-year-old's last-start breath-holding drama in the Hawkes Bay chase on June 27, Oulaghan is not about to make any rash statements about the horse's chances.

Regular rider Tommy Hazlett had the gelding cruising in the lead for the early part of the Hastings feature on a track he relished.

Yet when eventual winner Climbing High hit turbo-drive with 1200m to go, Hazlett and The Jolly Dancer were stuck in reverse.

"Tommy said he was out of rhythm a bit and wasn't breathing properly," said Oulaghan.

"We're just going to try and ride him a bit quieter at Trentham to see if that makes a difference - we can't do a lot."

Physically, Oulaghan can't fault The Jolly Dancer, who looked on the verge of his best season when a brave second in the Manawatu chase two starts back.

He can only take some solace from knowing the horse pulled a similar trick once before - at Matamata last September when pulled up - and bounced straight back.

An attempt at defending his Koral Steeplechase crown at Riccarton next month is on the cards if he does.

Oulaghan says the firmer and tighter figure-eight chase circuit at Trentham should also suit.

While the course proper will be at its deepest, the twisting chase track is never anywhere near as tough.

For those reasons, underrated Gisborne raider Triplepan could be toughest to beat.

He pushed Climbing High close at Hastings and looks to be nearing peak fitness at the right time.

In an open race, veteran Grand National champ Just A Swagger is the big improver.

Fine Hawkes Bay weather had hampered trainer Paul Nelson's ability to pile in enough work to the big-race specialist.

But his fifth to Climbing High at Hastings had the look of a next-up winner about it.

The 11-year-old is beginning to slip back to a competitive spot in the weights and reunites with Jonathan Riddell, who has jumped off rival stablemate No Rush'n.

Meanwhile, Oulaghan's hopes of landing the other jumps feature tomorrow with Counter Punch may have been quashed with the news the Wellington Hurdles returns to the course proper for the first time since 1974.

A safety audit carried out by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has deemed the hurdle lane unsafe.

"When we were aiming for this race we thought we'd be racing on the old hurdle track," said Oulaghan.

"The course proper will be hard work I would think, but he'll still go a good race providing the track is loose."

Oulaghan has also ordered a loose surface for his likely Whyte Handicap favourite Jowka.

"The horse is well, but he's like Counter Punch; if it's puggy or holding he wouldn't be that comfortable in it."

Although a winner over 2200m at Trentham two starts back, Oulaghan always preferred the Whyte over tomorrow's Parliamentary Handicap for the slow-maturing grey.

"He got away with 2200m in May but that wasn't an overly strong field," said Oulaghan.

He is likely to step Jowka back up over ground in the Taumarunui Cup at Te Rapa on July 25.

One trainer who isn't worried about the prospect of striking Trentham at its toughest tomorrow is Murray Baker.

With conditions to suit, Baker is confident his first Wellington Hurdles runner Harvest The Gold can bounce back from his last-start miss at Hastings.

"The track was just too good for him the other day," said Baker, who is rapt to hear the hurdles reverts to the heavier course proper circuit.

"That was one of the things that influenced us into going down. The wetter the better.

"I'm very happy with the horse - punters should stick with him."

In-form Jo Rathbone takes the reins from Riddell, who honours a long-standing commitment to the Nelson stable and durable veteran Just Not Cricket.

JUMPS DILEMMA

* The Jolly Dancer dropped out after leading in the Hawkes Bay Steeples last month.
* Trainer Mark Oulaghan believes he had a breathing problem - but can't fault him going into tomorrow's Wellington steeplechase.
* Gisborne jumper Triplepan could be the surprise packet.
* The heavy course proper will suit the Baker-trained Harvest the Gold in the Wellington Hurdles.