Racing: Jumps devotee rues wet track

If you think you're disappointed about this weather, talk to John Wheeler.

Most trainers preparing horses for jumping events clink champagne flutes every time it rains.

It's not in John Wheeler's make-up to be devastated about anything - but if he wasn't so relaxed, he would be climbing walls over the rain that's fallen for tomorrow's major jumping carnival at Paeroa.

Wheeler is one of New Zealand's finest trainers of flat horses - he won more than $5 million with Rough Habit - but he has a real love of the jumper.

These days he shies away from the traditional mud-up-to-its-knees jumping type and seeks instead the top-of-the-ground horses that will perform over jumps on the firm tracks in Australia.

Practically all 11 he has at Paeroa tomorrow fall into that category, including Wexford Bay, pre-post favourite to make it four straight in the $20,000 Jumping Supporters Maramarua Hunt Steeplechase.

"He's a very good horse and a brilliant jumper, but he's an unknown quantity on a heavy track," said Wheeler.

Persistent heavy showers on Thursday drove the Paeroa track rating into the heavy range. A band of rain was predicted to sweep through tonight, which would appear to leave little chance of improvement potential for the footing.

"When Paeroa is heavy, it's heavy," lamented Wheeler.

As good as he is, Wexford Bay will not need to be too far off his A game.

Great Northern Steeplechase winner Just The Man showed he was on track by finishing third on the flat at Matamata last Saturday and the Ken and Ann Browne team, which makes up five of the eight runners, is particularly strong.

The Browne horses appear to have got better as the season rolled forward and look at absolute, peak for this final major jumping assignment of the season.

Primo Canera showed in winning at Ellerslie that he will be a real headliner for the Brownes next winter, but he seems to prefer reasonably good ground. He is a big, bold mover who is likely to be shortened up by the type of ground Paeroa presents when it is heavy.

For all Primo Canera's class, he might struggle with his stablemates The Storytella, Camouflage and Jolly Sir, all of whom seem better suited to the conditions.

John Wheeler summed up each of his runners for the Herald:

Race 1

Group Result: Disappointing in his first start over fences, but to be fair to him he'd had only one flat race to prepare him and he wasn't ready. Trouble is, if the track is heavy he might not be ready for this either.

Stockpile: First start over fences and he goes all right. He's difficult to assess.

Race 2

Wild Enthusiasm: First starter. She jumps well and might not be without a chance.

Race 3

Rocky Point: Of all my horses he's the one that will probably manage a heavy track. He was a bit disappointing last time, but I don't think I'd let that put me off.

In Ya Dreams: A first starter and not a lot to recommend it.

Race 6

High Season: He's a very good horse who has had no luck his last three starts. Unfortunately he needs decent footing. He won on what was officially a heavy track at Ellerslie, but it was better than that and certainly better than he'll strike this time. I'm only hoping with him.

Val Ewe: A pretty good horse and will be hard to beat.

Race 9

If the track is really bad I will probably run only Long Hitter of my three acceptors. I have only had him for two starts and I'm getting him ready for jumping, which he's good at but I don't really know how he will go here on the flat.

Wheeler's manager for his Melbourne stable, Brett Scott , has travelled over to ride the team.

Scott teamed up with Wexford Bay to win on the first National Jumps Day at Paeroa in 2002.

Tomorrow's meeting includes three steeplechases, four hurdle events and an amatuer riders' race.