Racing: Houston to make amends

Shelley Houston is one of racing's smiley characters.

The Waikato jumps jockey has a grin as ready as when a politician spots a microphone.

But the countenance took on a sudden serious look outside the jockeys' room at Ellerslie three weeks ago.

Houston saw veteran Te Awamutu trainer Bill Weal walking towards her.

"I really wanted to win that race," she got in quickly before Weal came within earshot.

What she didn't get time to say was: "I really wanted to win that race for Mr Weal."

Watching the two talking you could see Houston's body language aching with disappointment.

She had just been beaten in a photo finish on the $1.90 favourite Climbing High in the McGregor Grant Steeplechase.

Climbing High is the only horse prepared by 80-something Weal and his family claims the horse keeps him interested in life and younger than his years.

Houston gets her chance to put the situation right in the $33,500 M&D Small Hawkes Bay Steeplechase at Hastings tomorrow.

And the combination looks beautifully placed to achieve the win that eluded them when it meant so much at Ellerslie.

The key is the comfortable 63kg Climbing High comes into the race on.

In a flat race, the difference between that 63kg and the 67kg topweight Mikemendaad will carry would be significant, but not critically important.

In a 4800m steeplechase that gap becomes a chasm.

Climbing High still has a bit to learn about the 'chasing game, but few horses are born with his natural level of ability.

He won over the big fences at Hastings before tackling Ellerslie and it will be a reasonably big surprise if he can't make that two from three tomorrow.

Mikemendaad is a high-class act.

His record of six wins from eight steeplechase starts says it all.

He doesn't always do everything right, but his determination late in his races is remarkable.

He looked down and out in the Waikato Steeplechase, but got off the canvas and took the fight to the others, winning stylishly. That is an invaluable quality in steeplechase racing.

The margin between winner No Rush'n and The Jolly Dancer in the recent Manawatu Steeplechase was 5 lengths, but it was only in the closing 150m that No Rush'n worked away.

The Jolly Dancer seemed to race a touch keenly that day and might be more settled here.

The weight differential this time is only .5kg in The Jolly Dancer's favour, but that coupled with the fitness levels should bring the pair closer together.

Just A Swagger, stablemate of No Rush'n, should also be fitter this time.

Jonathan Riddell jumped off Harvest The Gold after winning at Ellerslie recently and wasn't exactly ecstatic.

But he was pleased.

"This horse has improved," he said after the Vincent O'Brien Hurdles.

What has essentially improved with Harvest The Gold is his brain.

"He was a bit immature mentally last year," said Riddell of his mount in the Hawkes Bay Hurdles.

"This time he did everything right."

Which might be enough to get him the major money tomorrow. Harvest The Gold looks one of the best jumping prospects on the scene.

It will take a major effort to beat him in this race. But it still won't be easy.

Birchwood Run was too strong in the Awapuni Hurdles last start and before that was a fast-closing second on the flat in open company behind Conquistador at Foxton.

There are a few chances outside these two - southerner Kidunot has won his past two for Ellis Winsloe and adds a fascinating twist to the race.

The John Wheeler-trained High Season is a sleeper who could suddenly produce his best in a race like this.