Racing: Kidunot adds name to famous list

Bill Hazlett looked like an image of another era as he leaned on the rail outside the Winning Post Bar at Ellerslie on Saturday.

With a scotch in hand, he lacked nothing to create a family resemblance.

The 71-year-old looked for all the world like a mirror image of his late father, Bill Hazlett.

Seventy-five metres north of the Winning Post Bar stands a 100-year-old tree under which Bill Hazlett snr used to stand each morning before a major winter meeting at Ellerslie when horses were still trained on the magnificent racecourse.

The New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame inductee, always in a suit and tie at 7am, would, up to his death more than 30 years ago, be watching one of the many horses he brought to Ellerslie for the Great Northern carnivals.

The likes of Loch Linnhe, Eiffel Tower and MacDonald would be about to do their final workout for what was almost always Great Northern victory.

The difference this time was that Bill Hazlett jnr was talking to the press.

News of impending doom from a serious health problem was always more welcome than the press to his father.

With Kidunot on Saturday, the younger Hazlett managed to achieve what his father had done as far back as 1966, winning the Great Northern Hurdles.

And although he might not have admitted it to the press, the old bloke would have fully endorsed and enjoyed what Kidunot did.

Overall, in jumping circles, the white, green and yellow colours are even more famous than those of Ann Browne and her late husband, Ken, which, 75 minutes later, were carried to victory by Fair King in the $85,000 Kiwi Bacon Great Northern Steeplechase.

The Hazlett colours were also carried to victory in the Great Northern Steeplechase by two of the truly outstanding winners of the race: Eiffel Tower in 1967 and Loch Linnhe in 1975 and 1976.

Sharing in the ownership with Bill Hazlett is his son Jimmy, who never lost faith in the horse's ability despite slow, flat form, said trainer Ellis Winsloe and Lenny Insall, a now-retired longtime clerk of the course in Southland.

Insall was on holiday in Australia for Saturday's win and two hours after the race called his fellow owners at Ellerslie to advise them he hadn't stopped shouting for the patrons of a bar in Port Macquarie.

It had been a long road to Ellerslie.

Ellis Winsloe set Kidunot for the recent Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton, certain that the firmer conditions of Riccarton in August would suit the horse.

But Kidunot pulled a plate on race eve, pushing a nail into the foot.

He had to be scratched when a veterinarian ruled the horse to be sore.

"Technically, I felt he was fine to be able to start, but the vet said he could feel a pulse, so he was scratched.

"We'd got no further than thinking about the Great Northern, but when he was scratched from Riccarton the northern trip became a given."

Ellis Winsloe is a son of legendary Southern trainer Ted Winsloe.

Daniel Bothamley played a big part in riding the horse to victory, positioning him perfectly throughout.

"I was lucky," said Bothamley afterwards.

"I heard Ann Browne tell one of her riders earlier that the inside part of the track was a bit off and to stay one or two widths out.

"I followed that advice and it helped."

Traditionally, Great Northern Day hasn't thrown up too many promising flat gallopers.

This time was different.

Ginga Dude and Vonusti are two punters are going to hear plenty about in coming months. Ginga Dude put himself into the frame for a late entry fee for the $220,000 Windsor Park Stakes at Hastings on Saturday week when he nudged out a gallant Sir Slick over 1600m and Vonusti suggested similar form when he walked away with the easiest win of the day in slightly weaker company.

Ginga Dude, under the steadier of 58.5kg, sprinted nicely when it mattered in the closing stages of the JRA Trophy to just edge out Sir Slick who carried just .5kg more thanks to Roxanne Rattley's 3kg apprentice claim.

"That's just what I wanted to see," said part owner and trainer Graeme Boyd.

"He's reasonably fit, but he's still not quite there in his coat, so there's improvement in him."

Rider Andrew Calder was impressed.

"He really sprinted when I asked him," he said.

"It was a good effort under the weight and he's really on the way up."

Noel Harris was greatly impressed with Vonusti's win. But then, he expected to be.

"I rode him last campaign and he made a noise after a race and they found he had a virus.

"That's all been cleared up and today he felt like like the horse that impressed me last time in work.

"He's a class act. He's up to group company."