Racing: Brave Gold Jet jumps onto A-list

It will be a week before it is known whether Gold Jet will attack the big money in Australia.

Desperate to know is regular rider Tom Hazlett.

There is no one better to judge whether the Otago-trained Gold Jet is up to tackling the Australian Steeplechase and the rich Grand National Steeplechase at Flemington.

New Zealand-born Hazlett spent 13 years as one of the best Melbourne-based jumps jockeys before returning home to live in Methven nearly 18 months ago.

Unlike some jockeys, Hazlett does not easily put the "this is smart" tag on horses.

He was different after Gold Jet outgunned joint favourites Deceit and Lucky Tip in an excitement-filled finish to the $50,000 Ecolab Waikato Steeplechase at Te Rapa.

Hazlett, extrovert by nature and ultra conservative in his summation of horses, sidled away from the spotlight after weighing in.

Despite Gold Jet winning last year's Waikato Steeplechase, he had not been prepared to put him on his very small A-list yet.

"You know, I don't like labelling them good horses and I was always going to reserve my decision until after this race, but now I believe he's very good.

"Think about it. When he won last year he'd had two jumps races in the preparation. All he's had this time is two flat races and an easy steeplechase at Riccarton.

"He was entitled not to be as tough as he was in such a desperate finish. The race can only improve him."

Co-trainer Brian Anderton left the Te Rapa appearance to his son and training partner Shane, a former prominent jumps rider.

Midweek Brian Anderton declared he would have preferred Saturday's race to be a week or two into the future, for fear of the horse remaining a little underdone.

Hazlett said he had the absent Brian Anderton in mind as Gold Jet approached the last fence locked in a desperate three-way battle.

"I asked the horse for everything and he gave it to me. But it cost him. He rattled it that hard he even shook me. But I had to ask him.

"What was I going to do? Sit up on him coming to the fence? Brian would have killed me if I'd sat up and he couldn't have won if I had."

Gold Jet showed his courage in losing none of his momentum, despite what must have been a painful experience. He looked a little sore in his near-side hind leg walking out of the birdcage.

Hazlett came close to painful embarrassment in the run from the last fence. He was so busy riding Gold Jet hard that he lost his balance in the saddle and nearly went over the side.

"I went to kick him and I sort of missed. How bad would that have been if I'd come off."

There appear to be few obstacles to Gold Jet heading to Melbourne rather than looking for a repeat Hawkes Bay Steeplechase victory.

The owners are right behind the idea. One of them, Isabell Roddick, has some excitement to make up. She bred champion galloper Rough Habit and sold him cheaply before he raced. He went on to win more than $5 million.

And last year she could not be at Te Rapa to see Gold Jet win because her mother was close to death.

"Mum died soon after and this win today is for her," Roddick said with tears streaming.

Roddick may have missed out badly with Rough Habit, but she has had the last laugh with Gold Jet.

"The family didn't approve when I bought his mother [Rhine Goddess] for $250 from a Cambridge Lodge broodmare sale. She's now left three winners, LJem, Virginia Corsair and Gold Jet. I believe I'm vindicated."

The fact Tom Hazlett is slow to find sentiment in horses does not mean he lacks it.

He nearly lost his composure at the victory ceremony when presented with the Wendy Lord (nee Treweek) Memorial Trophy.

Wendy Treweek was the daughter of former jumps rider Neil Treweek - now Te Rapa track manager - and she married another former jumps jockey, Graeme Lord.

Wendy Lord died of cancer almost exactly eight years ago.

"Graeme's been a great mate of mine and this horse is stabled at his place. Whenever I come up here to ride I always ask Graeme how he would ride the horse I'm on and he's been a wonderful help.

"Even though I won this race last year I asked him how he would ride him this time and he said, 'Get up to third across the top and be challenging for the lead on the home turn'. That's exactly how I rode him.

"I nearly choked up when they presented me with the trophy. In the racing game people get killed and they're quickly forgotten. I love anything that keeps alive the memory of people like Wendy."

If there was a prize for honesty on Saturday, jumps rider Isaac Lupton would have had it in the bag before the others knew it was on offer.

Lupton blamed himself in part for Lucky Tip being beaten into a close third only a long neck and a head away.

"I gave him too much to do from the 1000m," Lupton declared.

"I should have moved him close to the other two and been alongside them on the home bend.

"I thought they'd come back to me, but they didn't."