By MIKE DILLON
Kevin O'Connor reckons Sir Avion's early mistake in the Brian Boys Prodrive Steeplechase on Saturday is the best thing that's happened to him.
"It'll teach him the fences aren't made of paper," said O'Connor.
O'Connor and rider Ross Elliot say Sir Avion was starting to take his fences too cheaply.
Sir Avion lost Elliot when he badly blundered at a fence with more than a round to travel.
"He took off a length behind Mr Tee at the fence and Mr Tee jumped so early he dipped on landing, so my bloke had no chance of clearing it," said Elliot.
"He landed on top of it and if I'd stayed with him he'd have fallen so I just let everything go and crashed instead."
Sir Avion is better known as a hurdler and was having only his third steeplechase start on Saturday. He is being aimed at the $50,000 TV Guide Hurdles at Ellerslie and will have his only other lead-up race in the maiden steeplechase at Matamata on May 20.
O'Connor's other feature jumper Willie Tee was outfinished late by Prince Of Clouds in the Meltzer's Suit'N' Shoe Lounge Steeplechase.
"He's best on footing that's a bit better than that," said Elliot.
Prince Of Clouds had won only one previous steeplechase, but owner and trainer Dick Stevenson knew he had a potential Mercedes Great Northern Steeplechase horse on his hands when he finished second in the McGregor Grant Steeples at Ellerslie last winter.
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At his raceday debut a few seasons back Esprit Du Nord beat Zonda and David Ellis thought he really had something on is hands.
Now he figures he's got a really promising hurdler.
Esprit Du Nord was having only his eighth jumping start winning Saturday's $12,000 Warehouse Building Supplies Hurdles at Te Rapa and you'd be surprised if it is his last victory over fences.
"I've thought a bit of this horse since I won on him at Paeroa last year," said winning rider Wayne Hillis.
Ellis, chairman of the Waikato Racing Club: "I love winning races with this horse, he's got 62 owners and you get 62 happy faces all at once - and the potential for 62 parties,"
Esprit Du Nord is "Spirit Of The North", the horse's ownership being a syndicate of members of Auckland's Northern Club managed by David Williams QC.
"That was a lovely trial for the Dunstan Hurdles in two weeks."
Esprit Du Nord shared the lead on the home turn and won the race jumping the last fence brilliantly.
Trainer Mark Walker was not at Te Rapa, he was home preparing for yesterday's flight to Brisbane with unbeaten 3-year-old Society Beau, who will run in the $A100,000 Doomben Classic on Saturday.
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O'Malleys Boy, beaten a penciline in the Jaguar Easter at Ellerslie, is being flown to Melbourne for Saturday's $A205,000 Federation Cup.
His performance in that will determine his Australian winter programme.
"There is the Vic Health Cup here in Melbourne, but if he wins on Saturday he'll get too much weight for that and he'll have to race at weight-for-age," said trainer Mike Moroney.
"If he wins we'll take him to Brisbane for the Doomben Cup."
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Don't blame the TAB for the less-than-ideal Kentucky Derby coverage on Trackside yesterday morning.
Apparently negotiations broke down at the last minute between the TAB and ESPN, which has provided outstanding Derby coverage in the previous couple of years.
Missing from the fill-in link was extended colour build-up of the contenders and their connections, leaving one of sport's greatest events looking as flat as a Blues supporter.
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Bruce McLeod knew Plain Jill was going to be hard to beat at Te Rapa yesterday as far back as when she finished second on a firm track at Avondale the previous week.
"She handles it wet very well and I'd been trying to hold off until it rained, but in the finish I had to give her a race at Avondale," said McLeod.
Plain Jill will have no trouble getting her next couple of wins this winter on the way, she easily ran away from her opposition on Saturday.
McLeod trains only three horses at Takanini these days, the hardy oldtimer Watch Officer and an unraced Borstal Boy gelding the other pair.
Watch Officer will be seen out in Saturday's Rotorua Cup.
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Lance Noble is delighted he has owners who don't want to sell promising Saturday winner The Chairman.
Co-owner Don McKee says his health has been so dodgy that what's the point of taking the money when he and wife Noelene are having so much fun winning races.
The Chairman has won two of his three starts and finished a respectable fourth at his only other appearance at Avondale on Anzac Day.
"I love winning races for Don and Noelene because they gave me my first horse and they hadn't even met me," said Noble.
The Chairman dug deep in a tight three-way finish to win narrowly in the Paradise Motorhome Rentals.
Racing: Steeplechase error timely lesson for hurdler Sir Avion
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