Standing between him and the winner’s circle will be defending GN Hurdles champion Happy Star, who bolted away with the lead up race last Saturday and is red hot to repeat today.
While he thrashed Suliman in the Hawkes Bay Hurdle the last time they met, four starts ago Suliman beat Happy Star by a remarkable 25 lengths in the Manawatu Hurdles at Trentham.
That was Happy Star’s first hurdle race of this campaign and his fitness has clearly improved since so he is the one to beat again but his towelling at the hands of Suliman just a few months ago could make those who take Happy Star’s short price today a touch nervous.
Add in Berry The Cash, who stormed home for third on the first day, and the Hurdle could be a thriller.
So too should be today’s Grand National Steeplechase in which defending champion West Coast has to a lump as imposing 72kgs to try and turn the tables on his conqueror of last Saturday in Prince Turbo.
While Riccarton is the premier domestic meeting today Te Rapa sees the return of some genuine black type gallopers, including last-start St Leger winner Ess Vee Are.
He has emerged as one of the more promising stayers in the country but looks certain to find the 1600m today too short in a race that looks perfect for Turn The Ace (R2, No.3).
Turn The Ace has a good record at Te Rapa and Elen Nicholas’s 2kgs claim suggests he is the bet of the day in the small field.
Nicholas also rides the fairytale horse of the meeting in Casino Princess (R3, No.3), who is looking for four wins on end.
She has emerged from obscurity to give 92-year-old trainer Cliff Goss another good horse after the heart break of losing his beloved Gold Watch, who had to be put down after a race accident at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day last year.
Gospodin adds some class to the day’s main sprint but that has earned him a 62kgs topweight, with 2kgs trimmed off with leading apprentice Kelsey Hannan to ride.