Racing: Solid Steal outclasses Trentham rivals

Solid Steal has the opposition at his mercy as he leaps the last fence of the Wellington Hurdles at Trentham. Photo / Race Images

Hastings jumper Solid Steal confirmed his promise to convincingly win the $50,000 Wellington Hurdles (3400m).

It was the third win from seven starts over hurdles for Solid Steal and made amends for his unplaced effort in the Hawkes Bay Hurdles at his previous start, though Hastings trainer Paul Nelson saw it in a slightly different light.

"It made amends for last year," Nelson said, referring to the loss his top-class hurdler Just Not Cricket who in the same race 12 months ago was euthanised after falling heavily.

A month later, Solid Steal crashed in the Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton which added to Nelson's woes.

"With the loss of Cricket and with this horse falling in the national, you can't get much worse than that," Nelson said.

Solid Steal's win also reaffirmed the jumps career of rider Jonathan Riddell. He rode Just Not Cricket in last year's race and suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung and a broken collarbone.

It prompted Riddell to reassess his career over fences, especially as he was gaining increased opportunities on the flat which had resulted in a win on Eileen Dubh in the $200,000 Levin Classic and a group three win in Brisbane on The Hombre in the Rough Habit Stakes.

It was only last month that Riddell returned to jumps riding and at his first ride he rode the Nelson-trained Ho Down to win the Awapuni Hurdles.

Solid Steal, a $3.20 favourite on Saturday, settled back in the field but went to the lead over the latter stages and scored by five lengths from an early leader, Spirit Of Alaton. There were 18 lengths to Fair King, third, while second favourite Big Brownie was handy early but dropped out to be last of the seven finishers.

- NZPA