Racing: More to come for Finito at Awapuni

Palmerston North trainer Stephen Gillies will be thinking more of his son Mathew than himself should Finito measure up to win next Saturday's $25,000 Manawatu Steeplechase.

Finito gained his first win as a steeplechaser after the $8500 El Cheapo Cars Steeple at Trentham on Saturday and Stephen Gillies is keen to run the horse again in the Manawatu Steeplechase on his home course at Awapuni.

Gillies is not confident Finito can make the step up from the one-win race to one of the more important steeplechases in the lower North Island but is hopeful for his son's sake.

"The horse has become a bit of a flag-bearer for him," he said.

"He is the horse's regular rider and one of his first rides was on him."

That ride was in a hurdle race at Woodville three years ago but it ended in injury after promising to be one to remember.

"He nearly pulled it off but the horse slipped at the second-last fence when it looked like he would win. Mathew broke a collarbone," Gillies said on Saturday.

Since recovering from the injury Mathew Gillies has hardly missed a ride on Finito, including consecutive hurdle wins in 2008.

It was Finito's first steeplechase start for the year on Saturday after racking up five minor placings from six starts in that role last year.

Stephen Gillies is hoping the Classic Fame gelding, at age 8, could now make his mark as a steeplechaser.

"It usually takes a couple of years to make a jumper. He was knocking on the door all last year. This year, he might stay the longer distances and make into a 'chaser.

"He didn't beat much today and he's still got to prove himself. But he is a bit of a grinder. He's a good old, genuine horse."

Finito has won four races, with one of them on the flat.

There are additional family reasons for the trainer to hope Finito can achieve more.

Gillies' wife, Jane, is a major shareholder in the syndicate of five which owns the horse.

Gillies, 50, has an affinity for jumps racing. He is a former jumps jockey, with his wins including the Waikato Steeplechase and Hawkes Bay Steeplechase.

He works as a farrier, while horse training remains a part-time affair.

"There's no money in training horses. I'll have half a dozen in work at the most. I only have four in work at the moment."

Finito had just four rivals to contend with on Saturday, later reduced to three when the favourite, Floor Play, lost his rider on the first lap of the 4000m race over the figure-eight course.

Finito looked anything but the winner when dropping back to fourth inside the last 800m as the leader Big Einstein kept up a strong pace.

However, Mathew Gillies was simply biding his time and Finito finished strongly in the straight to score impressively by 3 lengths as a $5.30 third favourite.

Second favourite Brushman ran second with Big Einstein weakening to be 1 lengths away third.

- NZPA