Amanood Lad was greatly suited on Saturday by what his rider Aaron Kuru, one of racing's most improved jockeys, described as"improved conditions". So, what will the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing handicapper do tomorrow and what will the weather be for the Great Northerns. Twelve hours is a long time in Auckland weather - 12 days is a lifetime.
One aspect around Amanood Lad was extremely noticeable - he not only raced very keenly throughout and looked the winner a long way from the finish, he looked much more sleek than in previous winters.
Hastings trainer Paul Nelson has had the veteran just this last year.
"Yes, he was always quite heavy and that's because he's such a good doer. He has trimmed right down and we see that as a real advantage."
Nelson is hardly the demonstrative type, but he has some strong thoughts on the likelihood on an elevation of Amanood Lad's rating points.
"Regardless of what rating he gets, the handicapper surely can't give him more than 71kg in the Northern."
History would be on Nelson's side. Three-time winner Hypnotize won it in 2007 and 2008 then came back in 2010 and carried 70.5kg on a 63kg minimum, which was changed to 65kg a couple of years later.
The last six winners are Ima Heroine (2011) on the 63kg minimum, Tom's Myth 68kg, Rangatira 65kg, Amanood Lad 67kg, Jack Romanov 65kg and Kick Back last year under 65kg.
Most years in the Great Northern you can see horses travelling well until the second-last jump at the foot of the hill, only to see their stamina wane when they hit the tougher ground in the final 500m. That is when big weights can come into reckoning.
Nelson believes there is a touch of improvement in Amanood Lad. "He raced a bit fresh this time," which was evident.
If there is other improvement it will come from runner-up Wise Men Say, who had not raced for five weeks. His best efforts have been on the back-up and he will strip a much fitter horse on Saturday week.
His trainer Raymond Connors is the man for the job - he navigated the way for Hypnotize to take his three-peat in the Northern.
• The Great Northern Hurdles is not considered a race for novices.
But this year could be different. Monarch Chimes won Saturday's $50,000 Harrison Lane Hurdle in a manner that almost assures him favouritism for the Great Northern on Saturday week.
It is widely thought to take at least a year to make a top class jumper. Sometimes two. Consider this, when Monarch Chimes walked through the Ellerslie birdcage on Saturday it had been only 47 days since his first jumping start.
Yes, he has won all three of his hurdling starts and was so stylish on Saturday the Northern looks within his grasp.
He travelled into the race so easily approaching the home turn that a win looked inevitable.
That was until he made a bad blunder of the last hurdle and lost momentum, but was galloping so strongly he came back and claimed runner-up El Corby.
What the jockeys said:
• 1st: Amanood Lad - Aaron Kuru: "13 years old, 71kg and he put them away easy. He'll be even better with another lap."
• 2nd: Wise Men Say - Isaac Lupton: "He ran well. The improved track just helped Amanood Lad carry his weight a bit more than my horse."
• 3rd Tizza Secret - Will Gordon: "It was a really good run. He jumped the last well and he was there to win it but he just came to the end of it the last 100m."
• 4th Ngatira Gold - Shaun Phelan: "It was a huge run. He just didn't quite stay the full trip. He will be better next year."
• 5th Big Brownie - Gary Walsh: "5th place for the 14-year-old is pretty good."
• 6th The Oysterman - Hamish McNeil: "He might just not be an Ellerslie Hill sort of horse."
• 7th Thenamesbond - James Seivwright: "He went really well. The winner was just too good for them."
• 8th Istimagic - Stephan Karnicnik: "He's jumping good but he came to the end of it the second time up the hill."
