Racing: Bulginbaah faces stern task

Ken Cropp and his favourite horse, the well-performed Bulginbaah. Photo / Wanganui Chronicle

As a jumps jockey for more than three decades Ken Cropp had to display plenty of fortitude.

His grand old galloper Bulginbaah will have to display the same to win the Taradale Club 1400 at Hastings today.

The 61kg looks a formidable task, but Cropp faced plenty of those himself in his battling role in the saddle.

The Australian started riding at 11 and finished when he was 49.

He's "81 and a half"' now and is lasting at least as well as Bulginbaah.

"He's a box of birds," said Cropp yesterday as he prepared for today.

"He's just like he was four years ago. Whether he's as good as then, of course, remains to be seen. We'll probably find out tomorrow."

Bulginbaah was beaten favourite on his home track at Wanganui last start, but he did not get the best of runs.

It was not the ride of the day.

This time Cropp has engaged Opie Bosson. It will help. "With that weight I had to have a good jockey to help him." This is a stepping stone.

"I'd love to win the Opunake Cup ($100,000) in a couple of weeks.

"That might be greedy, but I'd love to win that before he retires."

Retires?

"No, no plans in that area."

Pinprick and Veloz will be tough to beat at the weights.

Pinprick has won two from four starts on the course and was third in another. He has worked well at Matamata this week and is well placed being in receipt of 6.5kg from the topweight.

He has a handy record on all sorts of winter footing, whereas Veloz seems to prefer tracks no worse than dead.