Racing: Little jumping can go a long way

By Michael Guerin

NZ Herald·

3 Sep, 2019 05:00 PM4 mins to read

Trisha Lea is the X-factor horse in the Great Northern Hurdles at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo / Race Images

This is not how Kylie Little saw Trisha Lea ending her season. The plan was pretty simple, the veteran mare was to have a couple of easy hurdle races this month to get her mind around what might be her new career next season.

A winner of the Parliamentary four starts ago, Trisha Lea had been jumping since she was five and was always going to be a hurdler.

"So after the Taumarunui Cup a few starts ago we thought, well there are no more open handicap staying races for her, she might as we have a jumping race or two," says Little.

But then everything kind of went on fast forward. All the way to Saturday's $125,000 Boutique Body Corporates Great Northern Hurdles at Ellerslie.

Trisha Lea is the X-factor horse in the great jumps race, having got there faster than imagined. Which is how she likes to do things.

After winning her maiden hurdle at Te Aroha on August 14, she returned there last Sunday and turned what could have been a stock-standard jumping race into an excitement fest as she charged at her fences like she was late for a date with Frankel, in a hurry to get the race over and done with.

It was all jockey Charlie Studd could do to keep her from bolting as she wanted to race the leader a full lap from home and with her pace on the flat and the ability to ping off the ground and get her leading gear down just as fast, she is a thrilling if somewhat uncomfortable watch.

After appearing beaten at the top of the straight on Sunday, she found more to win, which is just as well considering both her hurdles wins have been over 3100m and on Saturday she has to step up to 4190m in New Zealand's longest hurdle race.

"I'll admit I am a bit nervous about that," says Little.

"But I am hoping with a horse like Alfie Dee in the race he will set up the speed and we can get a trail and make her settle better.

"A lot of it will be new to her, she has never been to Ellerslie before and we never planned to be here for this race.

"The plan was to have a nice couple of easy hurdle races and get ready for next season.

"But everything has changed and she came through Sunday well so she is 95 per cent likely to be there.

"And I'll admit it, I'm pretty excited. Nervous, but excited."

That Trisha Lea wants to get on with the job in her new role is understandable. She is after all an open class flat galloper who started this campaign with runs in the group three Manawatu Breeders against Fiscal Fantasy and the listed Anzac Mile against the likes of Shadows Cast.

But it isn't just her flat ability that makes her a hurdles flying machine.

"That is just her," Little says with a laugh. "She is a bit arrogant."

Regardless of how Trisha Lea fares in the longest test of her career, Little will spare a thought for the late rider who helped set the mare of her unusual pathway to Ellerslie.

"When we first started putting her over the hurdles Cody Singer, who is so sadly gone now, did the schooling on her. And he said he would make a good jumper right from the start.

"So we will be thinking about him as we head to Ellerslie this weekend."

Ellerslie hill: Walk the walk ...

Jumps racing enthusiasts who want to see just how daunting the famous Ellerslie hill is won't get a better chance than on Saturday.

The ARC has announced the return of their steeplechase course walk — this year hosted by jumps racing legends, Michelle Strawbridge and Wayne Hillis.

Taking place before the 135th running of Saturday's Network Visuals Great Northern Steeplechase, the club will open their famed steeplechase course, and new function space — Tote on Ascot — to the public.

Starting with a complimentary morning tea at 9am in Tote on Ascot (adjacent to the tie-up stalls), the walk itself will start at 9.30am and may take up to one hour.
The event is free.