Racing: Step up to bigger fences pays off

Youretheman had looked a star on the horizon when he won the 2006 Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton and finished second in the Great Northern Hurdles.

And victories in the 2008 Sydenham and Waikato Hurdles reignited his career over jumps again, though it always seemed the bigger fences would become his forte.

Trainer Mark Oulaghan stepped the 10-year-old up to the bigger fences when the horse campaigned in Australia last year, though three unplaced runs were a poor return for one of his class.

In May this year Youretheman had his first start over steeplechase fences in New Zealand, and he was far too good for the opposition.

Brought down in a bizarre Waikato Hurdle nine days later, Youretheman was saved for yesterday's $33,500 Just A Swagger Hawkes Bay Steeplechase over the bigger fences and it paid dividends.

Young apprentice rider Daniel Stackhouse had big shoes to fill. He rode in place of the injured Tommy Hazlett, a man that has been instrumental in creating a career as a jumps rider for the young protégé, along with partner Pam Gerard.

"I wouldn't be doing [these] things if it wasn't for them," said a thankful Stackhouse.

"They have helped me with my weight and my riding career. We [along with Hazlett] sat down yesterday and went over the course and how we'd approach every fence."

MEANWHILE, Miss Raggedy Anne scored a notable victory in the National Service Club Open Sprint, the feature flat race on the programme at Hastings.

Rider Lisa Allpress recorded her 100th winning ride of the season in combining with the Faltaat 4-year-old for Matamata trainer Andrew Scott.

"It's taken a few years to achieve it [100 wins in a season]," said Allpress.

"I've had a lot of help. I had a great Christmas-New Year this year, I rode a lot of winners down south.

"The more winners you ride the more people want you to ride so it has a flow-on effect."

LOCAL TRAINER Paul Nelson had surprisingly never won the Hawkes Bay Hurdles on his home track, and though he finally broke the drought yesterday he was still a little shocked in how he'd achieved it.

Nelson, a gifted jumps trainer, went into the race full of confidence, just not in the eventual winner, Ho Down.

"Well it's lucky I don't bet because I thought the other horse [ Solid Steal] was a home run," said Nelson.

"When you've never won a race before and it's your home, big hurdle race, it means a lot."

Ho Down cruised into contention inside the final 800m for rider Chad Ormsby after an economical trip, and ran clear with three clinical leaps sealing the others' fate.

Race leader Spirit Of Alaton was a gallant second.

Nelson's main chance Solid Steal, who started favourite, loomed up to run into a minor placing coming to the last but botched the jump badly and almost fell.

Ormsby later declared himself a winner "once we got over the first fence".

"He was the fittest and best horse here and he showed it." .