By MIKE DILLON
Walker's hobby hat replaces his professional cap when he produces Esprit Du Nord and Galaxy Lover in tomorrow's $50,000 TV Guide Hurdles at Ellerslie.
Don't be misled, Walker is taking this seriously - there is nothing he would like more than to win New Zealand's premier hurdles race - it is simply that jumping horses has always been the 28-year-old Matamata trainer's hobby.
"When I was at school I used to do a fair bit of eventing and, I don't know, you just get to like it a lot."
Walker has long done his share of the preparatory schooling on his hurdlers.
Watching his jumpers going around, he says, raises the adrenalin levels.
"It really gets you stirred up. In winter your flat horses are generally yearlings or your spring horses in the early stages of their preparations. For six weeks in mid-winter all you'd see is pacework if you didn't have jumpers."
Perhaps surprisingly Walker's first runner in a major jumping race was not until Esprit Du Nord lined up in the Waikato Hurdles at Te Rapa two weeks ago, finishing second to Stacey Jones.
A 232212 formline going into tomorrow's feature is about as good as it gets for a jumper and Esprit Du Nord is likely to share favouritism with topweight and previous winner of the race, Sir Avion.
"He's had a lovely preparation," said Walker of Esprit Du Nord.
"Now it's just a matter of how he cops the very heavy track and the extreme distance (4190m)."
Walker is encouraged by the second to Stacey Jones in heavy footing at Te Rapa.
"It was pretty heavy that day and he coped well. Of course there is an extra 1000m to run this time and that makes a difference to how they manage certain conditions.
"It's always difficult to tell how they will go these long distances until they try them. All I can say is he's very bright and very well."
Walker is as pleased to have Wayne Hillis on Esprit Du Nord as Hillis is to have the ride.
"He's got a champion on him so he's got every chance."
Walker rates stablemate Galaxy Lover a better chance than perhaps his tote odds will reflect.
"I rate him a real sneaky chance. He had that 12 months off with a slightly injured tendon and his run the other day when he was second in the steeplechase at Pukekohe signalled to me he was back."
Galaxy Lover has not being seeing out the distances of his recent hurdles races, but Walker says additional fitness now should correct that.
"I don't think the distance will be a worry to him because he's won a steeplechase. A big help with be carrying only 60kg."
Walker says he feels sorry for Irish jumps jockey Finbarr Leahy who has been riding Galaxy Lover lately.
"Finbarr was always on Nessun Dorma in this race, but he was pulled out before acceptances. By that time I'd already engaged Craig Thornton to ride Galaxy Lover.
"I understand Finbarr's Mercedes Northern Steeples ride Silver Archer is also a non-runner."
Sir Avion looks the one for the Walker pair to beat.
His third to Stacey Jones and Esprit Du Nord in the Waikato Hurdles has improved him and he looks ready for a tough 4190m in heavy ground, a task he has already achieved.
Smart Hunter, placed in this race, is perhaps the best of the four Ken and Ann Browne runners. He is a solid stayer who is fitter for recent racing.
Racing: Jumps a deadly serious hobby
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