Racing: Southern hopes high for Great Northern Hurdles

Victorian-based former Canterbury horseman Danny Crozier will be riding in the $70,000 Great Northern Hurdles at Ellerslie on Saturday - but which horse is not certain.

Co-trainer John Parsons has booked Crozier and Shelley Houston to ride either Coup South or Penny Rose, with no final decision made.

Both horses came through their flat runs at Tauranga on Saturday in good order.

Coup South was the more impressive of the pair and appeals as an ideal Northern hurdle type but Penny Rose was having her first outing since her run over 4200m in the Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton Park in Christchurch.

"You wouldn't expect her to be at her sharpest after that. But I suppose, on the other hand, she has hardly missed a dogfight for months and the other horse is more on the way up." Parsons said.

Penny Rose will have a well-earned rest after Saturday's race following one of the more remarkable displays of toughness in the last 12 months.

She had 22 starts last season, the last two winning hurdle outings and then produced a big finish in the Grand National Hurdles, one that perhaps deserved a better fate.

Parsons narrowly missed booking Australian Craig Durden for the National.

"Danny rang to say he could not be over to ride Penny Rose. After we had engaged another rider he rang again and it was Crozier saying Durden was free that week and was keen to fly over and ride her."

Coup South has been nursed to full fitness by the Parsons stable and had only three outings last season.

But he would have been a major threat if he had lined up for the Grand National Hurdle (he was not nominated for the race because of lack of preparation due to a leg problem) and is a tough hombre likely to stick Saturday's distance better than most.

While South Island trained winners of the Northern Hurdles are comparatively rare, they have put up some big performances in the race in recent years and are well suited by the change of date.

Previously there has been a lack of lead up racing to be at peak fitness in early June but that is not a problem this year.

In addition the uniform design of hurdles has made the southerners, previously not experienced over the old batten hurdles, more competitive.

The Parsons stable is well versed in competing in northern jumps events and the pair will go into the race fit and well seasoned.

Penny Rose made an eye catching late bid in the Grand National Hurdles so the 4190m distance will not bother her.

Coup South made a huge late bid in the 3200m Sydenham Hurdle on the first day and should probably have beaten the highly regarded winner, Blakes Boy.

- Herald correspondent