Racing: Talented Ormsby heads to Flemington

Chad Ormsby. Photo / Christine Cornege

Classy Waikato-based rider Chad Ormsby will try his luck in Victoria.

Ormsby will ride at Te Rapa on Saturday before leaving for Melbourne, where he will stay at least for the winter.

"Mike Moroney told me how short of jockeys they get in Melbourne through the winter months," said Ormsby yesterday.

"He said when all the good ones head to Brisbane to ride through the winter carnival there, plenty of opportunities open up in Melbourne."

Ormsby has done remarkably well in New Zealand in the last year and a half after weight problems looked likely to close down his career.

This season he has already ridden 53 winners for $1.12 million in stakes.

"I'll probably base myself at Flemington and see how things go."

Saturday at Te Rapa will definitely be veterans' day.

The $33,500 Dunstan Feeds Waikato Hurdles is headed up by last year's Grand National Steeplechase winner 10-year-old Counter Punch ahead of rising 13-year-old Spirit Of Alaton, who won the race last year, and rising 12-year-old High Season, who finished second to Spirit Of Alaton in that race.

Heading up the $33,500 Vernon & Vezey Truck Parts Waikato Steeplechase is 10-year-old Climbing High, who won the race by 22 lengths 12 months ago.

Just behind him in the weights is Yourtheman, an 11-year-old who was brought down in the Waikato Hurdles last year. Third is relatively youthful Mikemendaad, an 8-year-old who won the Waikato Steeples in 2009.

This year's Nakayama Grand Jump will be run on July 2. The famous Japanese steeplechase had to be rescheduled from April 16 because of the earthquake.