Racing: Stalker hopeful of top effort at Ellerslie

Murray Hamilton. Photo / Otago Daily Times

Southland jumper Joint Effort, last-start winner of the New Zealand Grand National Hurdles, arrived in Pukekohe yesterday for her attempt on the Great Northern Hurdles next Saturday.

"She hasn't missed a trick. She had two or three days off after the National [August 11] and then started light duties again,"Allan Stalker, her Mossburn owner-trainer, said.

A good part of those duties are working with sheep and cattle on the Stalker farm.

"She just loves working stock and is keeping fit and enjoying it," Stalker said.

On the first day at Riccarton, Joint Effort scored a strong win in the Sydenham Hurdles.

She has had trips to the North Island for flat races in 2007 (at Trentham) and 2008 (Foxton), but ran unplaced.

Stalker raced Cut 'N' Dry in the Rotorua and Taumarunui Cups in 2004. She ran fifth at Rotorua.

Matthew Cropp, who rode Joint Effort in the National, is enthusiastic about her chance at Ellerslie.

"She just loves that wet ground," he said, after riding High Seas in a maiden hurdle at Oamaru on Friday.

He picked up the mount on Kidunot in the open hurdle.

Kidunot, winner of the Great Northern Hurdles last year, ran on for third, 6 lengths behind the winner, Cheap Date.

He was making the switch from steeplechasing, after a fall in the Grand National Steeplechase at his previous start.

"We will take him to Timaru for a steeplechase in a fortnight and if it does not get off the ground he will race in the hurdles," trainer Ellis Winsloe said, thus ruling out a clash with Joint Effort at Ellerslie.

Cropp rode Kidunot on Friday after it was resolved among trainers Winsloe and Murray Hamilton that Daniel Bothamley take the mount on Magic Man in the hurdles.

Bothamley then chose not to ride Magic Man and he was replaced by Richard Cully.

Bothamley was subsequently charged with wilfully breaking a riding engagement and was suspended for three riding days.