Racing: Mistake fits Boy for main event

Waverley rider Isaac Lupton learned two valuable Grand National winning lessons in the Sydenham Hurdles at the weekend.

Blake's Boy will breeze over the extra 1000m he faces in the 4200m National feature at Riccarton today, and Lupton won't be scared to ask the National favourite for a big leap if he needs it.

Lupton blames himself for the Sydenham scare on Saturday when Blake's Boy blundered the third-last fence before mustering an impressive National-type rally to sneak past likely winner Midnight Opal, again a rival today.

"I should have ridden him for a big jump when the pace quickened, but I let him put in a short one instead," said Lupton, one of the most improved jumps riders around.

"It was my mistake and I won't be letting that happen again. He must have lost three lengths and it was a great effort to pick himself up again like he did."

Visiting ex-pat Brett Scott could have sworn he had Blake's Boy covered on Midnight Opal in the straight on Saturday.

But the way the Joanne Moss-trained Blake's Boy fought back after a potentially costly blunder makes it difficult to see a turnaround today.

For Lupton it will be just his second ride in the National, after last year steering Sydenham favourite Challenge into second behind Just A Swagger, who is back for a shot at a rare double.

"After he battled into fifth in the Sydenham no one was really expecting much from Challenge in the National so there's a lot more pressure on this time," said Lupton, 26.

Lupton, who juggles managing his parents' dairy farm around his riding career, says you always have to respect the lightweights in the National, like the South Island's first-season star Artax.

The heavy track, however, may be the Zabeel gelding's undoing. Formerly trained in the north by Peter and Nikki Hurdle, Artax invariably races best on a drier surface.

Lupton also rates Midnight Opal a danger again because of his ability to get the trip.

"Of the two John Wheeler runners, I rate him the better show," said Lupton. "He's a bit more race-hardened and John's always said he'd make a chaser so the 4200m shouldn't be a problem."

If Blake's Boy staves off all the challengers today, as most punters will expect, Lupton's hopes of a National double hinge on the flat run of the Kevin Myers' trained Lucky Tip in the last event.

After missing Saturday's Koral through a minor setback, Lucky Tip needs to pull up fit to confirm a start in the chase on Saturday.

It's Blake's Boy's stablemate Ultimate Game, however, who Upton tips as the big National Steeplechase threat to early favourite No Hero.

Ultimate Game had No Hero flat to beat him on Saturday and Lupton says there's plenty of improvement in the horse yet.

It would be a dream come true for Moss if Ultimate Game is successful. Two years ago the Gisborne 35-year-old became the first female trainer to win a National when Cool Water scored in the hurdles.

Moss has just come off a career-best 10 wins for the last season, with six of those by Blake's Boy. He shared the record for most wins with Mr Multiwin and Calveen.

* TAB fixed-odds dividends last night were: $3 Van Winkle, Blake's Boy; $8 Just A Swagger; $11 Drizzle; $12 Midnight Opal; $13 High Season; $20 Artax, Penny Rose; $35 Peron, Our Front Line; $40 Rigo Flight; $80 Guard Mann.

$60,000 Hurdles

* Blake's Boy and Van Winkle share favouritism for the Grand National Hurdles.

* The Gisborne-trained Blake's Boy had a winning trial on Saturday, despite a blunder.

* Southern lightweight Artax is one to respect.