Racing: Fingers crossed for a full card

The Wellington Racing Club hopes it can maintain a 10-race programme despite receiving just 98 nominations for its meeting on Saturday.

Entries were to have closed yesterday but have been left open until 9.30am today and the club's chief executive Eddie Jansen is looking for additional nominations.

"Some of the races are a bit light but we are keen to run 10 races if we can" Jansen said.

The club is particularly pleased to have attracted nine entries for the $50,000 Wellington Steeplechase (5500m) after only five paid up last year and six the previous year.

The field will be headed by defending champion Cuchulainn, who won the race in 2003. He had also been due to contest last year's race until the meeting was abandoned on race morning because of bad weather.

Other notable entries for the Wellington Steeplechase include Lucky Tip and Al Burkan, the placegetters behind No Hero in the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase, and the Ken and Ann Browne representatives, The Storytella and Bit Of A Myth. The other steeplechase entries are No Sweat, Ultimate Game, Yelsid Junior and Kicking The Stars.

There was concern about the other feature, the $40,000 Wellington Hurdles (3400m) which attracted just six entries with three of them also being entered for other races.

They included Van Winkle and Starbo, who are also nominated for the $30,000 Parliamentary Handicap, and Blakes Boy, who is also in the novice hurdle.

But two further entries were received yesterday from the Browne stable - Danz and Royal Kiwi - to ensure the race will go ahead.

With the classy trio of Drizzle, Just A Swagger and Mr Barrymore also in the Wellington Hurdles line-up, it should be a very interesting contest.

- NZPA