Racing: Perry Mason on Cup case

Perry Mason is the favourite in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup at Te Aroha tomorrow. Photo / NZME

Someone who can train a 14-year-old to win a major race wouldn't have surprised too many if he'd walked off Te Aroha unbeaten with two runners tomorrow.

Even if they were the two major races, the $50,000 Pakuranga Hunt Cup and $50,000 Corson Hurdle.

It won't happen. Trainer Paul Nelson has the favourite Perry Mason in the Hunt Cup and he will run, but well fancied No Change will be absent from the feature hurdle race and Nelson is not happy.

Nelson contacted authorities on Monday to check that the Pakuranga Hunt Club meeting would go ahead at Te Rapa and not be transferred. But late yesterday morning the meeting was transferred from Te Rapa to Te Aroha.

"I had intended running Second Innings in the hurdles but he's a back runner and at Te Rapa would have ended up getting a face full of kick-back sand and would not have fired.

"So, I put No Change in instead because he can run on the pace and he'd have missed the sand. The track at Te Aroha will be far too heavy for No Change, so he can stay home, leaving us without a hurdles runner.

"This decision should have been made on Monday, then we could have nominated the right horse."

It needs noting Nelson is a wonderful sportsman and does not whinge out of turn. When you train jumpers you take the bad with the good. The jumping season is short enough and even one missed opportunity is a major.

No Change finished a game second to talented Monarch Chimes at Hastings in his last jumping start and would have taken plenty of beating tomorrow.

Nelson has a dry sense of humour and when you suggest one win from one winner might not be a bad result he says: "That — would — be — very — nice."

The Pakuranga Hunt Cup has plenty of depth, but Perry Mason has the credentials to go close. With only five steeplechase starts behind him this is a step up in class, but on the minimum 65kg he is well placed.

Our Jackson is one of the rising stars in the chasing game. He left the dunce class in that discipline at Trentham two back then narrowly missed picking up Old Countess at Wanganui. He will be fit for this and Raymond Connors has a stunning winning record in major jumping races.

The Wanganui victory by Old Countess was well deserved. This will be a tougher slog than the shorter race on the turning Wanganui circuit, but she deserves some consideration.

The Big Opal turned in an excellent run for third in the Koral at Riccarton after setting up a long lead for most of the race. The 69kg topweight will not make it easy, but it will be a surprise if he is too far from the money.

With No change absent and It's A Wonder likely to struggle a little in what will be testing footing, the hurdles is a wide open race.

Locally-trained Laekeeper has had eight hurdle starts for five wins and three placings — stats that puts him right in the frame.