By MIKE DILLON
How much can we read into Ellerslie's big jumping carnival from the results at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Very little, probably.
But then that is not unusual. The two carnivals are as different as Aintree and Cheltenham in England.
As gutsy as Crojack was in winning the Dunstan Feeds Waikato Hurdles, there will be plenty prepared to bet against him reapeating that at Ellerslie on Saturday week.
It was fair comment rider Paul Fitzgerald made after finishing fifth on Limerick Lad in the hurdles: "They'd have to be the weakest lot of open hurdlers for a long time."
The Ellerslie hurdles line-up might be only fractionally stronger, but the distance rather than the class of the opposition is what might trip the speedy Crojack, who along with Drop O'Rain provided rider Brendon Greig with a feature-race jumping double on Saturday.
Both Ellerslie features are about stickability. That won't hamper Ecolab Waikato Steeples winner Drop O' Rain, but the race will be so different with Royal Ways, Our Jonty, Willie Tee and fresh runner Bob Dobalino suited.
Ken Browne even rates Boon's Boy as a better Mercedes Northern chance.
Punters took a hammering when raging favourite Willie Tee faded to fifth after looking to have Saturday's big steeples in hand 600m out, but rider Ross Elliot is chipper about his Ellerslie chances.
"Everything went wrong this time, particularly when Reb's Shu lost Paul Fitzgerald down the back the last time and we lost our momentum."
The extreme distance which has brought some of the best to their knees does not faze Elliot.
"It won't worry him, they go a lot slower. Also, he goes a lot better at Ellerslie than anywhere else.
"He'll also be fitter next time. He hasn't had a lot of racing - he's always been on the way up."
Like many who will ride in the Mercedes, Elliot rates last year's winner Royal Ways as the horse to beat.
Royal Ways was close up fourth on Saturday and is another whose stamina is better suited to the tougher Ellerslie course and three trips over the fearsome Hill.
Trainer Tony Cole expects Saturday's race to clean up the fitness of Royal Ways, who he feels was very fresh going into the race.
In the Mercedes, Eddie Lamb will be aboard the wild card Bob Dobalino, missing on Saturday, and after watching the Te Rapa race, declared Willie Tee as the horse he most fears.
"Our Jonty, too. I quite liked what he did."
One rival Crojack might have extreme trouble with in the TV Guide Hurdles at Ellerslie is Saturday's runner-up Smart Hunter.
Only a nose separated the pair and Smart Hunter's rider Michelle Hopkins beat herself up over a decision to change ground sharply towards the inside halfway down the home straight.
"I thought the winner was running our more than he did."
Trainer Ken Browne felt there was enough physical improvement in Smart Hunter to be confident of a big showing at Ellerslie.
Racing: Greig stars as jumpers get serious
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