Racing: Big faith in Cuzzie Bro on steeplechase debut

One thing stops trainer Raymond Connors labelling Cuzzie Bro close to a certainty in his steeplechase debut at Te Rapa today.

The open handicapper-turned-dashing hurdle winner needs to drop the bit early for rider Shoji Sakai or the long drive from Whangaehu, near Wanganui, will be a wasted trip.

"That's my only concern with him really," said Connors, who also saddles maiden hurdler Rambo in the opener.

"If he [Cuzzie Bro] settles he should be hard to beat on a track like this, but until they jump I'm really not sure what he'll do."

Connors, the winning rider of Great Northern chase hero Our Jonty, has a gut feeling that chasing will eventually be Cuzzie Bro's forte.

Although the seven-year-old boasts a win and two placings from his five hurdle starts, he simply goes too hard for his own good to be competitive at the best level over the battens.

"I think he will be a better steeplechaser, or at least that's what I'm hoping," said the 27-year-old, best known now as the trainer of Manawatu Classic winner King Johny.

"If they go a bit slower for him, I'm hoping that will make him settle better."

Connors was taking no chances on arrival at Te Rapa late yesterday with Cuzzie Bro.

One of his first priorities was gaining permission for a late schooling session to give Cuzzie Bro 11th- hour first-hand experience at the bigger fences.

"Our hurdles and steeples look much the same at Wanganui so I'd like to pop him over one or two here so he knows what he's doing," said Connors. "He hasn't jumped the big live ones yet, but I don't expect it to be a problem for him."

Connors says that once safely through today's chase debut Cuzzie Bro is likely to head for a well-earned spell, before being aimed at the richer chases next season.

The gelding has been in the stable since the most important of his six flat victories, the Egmont Cup prize last October.

Connors is also hoping stablemate Rambo can stamp himself as a future jumping star today. The two-race flat winner disappointed in his hurdling debut at Wanganui on June 16, but Connors said the seven-year-old is a better jumper than that and can turn his form around on a firmer track.