Auld Jock finished just half a length short of superstar jumper The Cossack in Saturday’s Wellington Steeplechase (5500m), and Peter and Jessica Brosnan now have their sights set on a trip to Riccarton Park next month for the Grand National Steeplechase (5600m).
The diminutive gelding stepped up to open grade with a creditable run for fourth in the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase (4800m) a fortnight ago and tackling the unique course at Trentham, he looked right at home from the outset.
Joshua Parker rode a patient race on Auld Jock, travelling quietly in midfield, and as the pressure came on crossing over to the course proper, he was among the dangers to catch The Cossack and a storming finish had him within touching distance of the biggest win of his short jumping career.
“We were absolutely rapt with him, he’s certainly got the makings of a good little horse, so onwards and upwards,” Jessica Brosnan said.
“He kept coming really strongly at the finish, so it was pretty exciting.
“Josh rode him perfectly, he cut all the corners and had him on the inside everywhere he could. He jumped him well, we couldn’t fault the ride.
“He wants to stick with him, so that’s a good sign as well.”
The Brosnans headed straight back to their base at Matamata after the marathon jumping contest, where the son of Adelaide will have a few quiet days before preparing for their southern mission.
“He was a bit tired so we brought him home late on Saturday instead of staying down there for another night, just so he could have a sleep and wake up in his paddock,” Jessica Brosnan said.
“It saves him sitting on the truck for seven or eight hours on Sunday to get home.
“He’s had a couple of days off and now he’ll have some time in the swimming pool and on the walker, then we’ll get back into it and make some plans.
“I’m just running through the logistics now, we’ll get him down to Christchurch and if he settles in well, we’ll have a go at both days.
“It would be nice for him to get a look around the course before the big race, although he adapted to Wellington so easily and jumped every jump so beautifully.
“If he didn’t settle in for whatever reason, we can skip the Koral and go straight into the National. I don’t know what will be in on the first day, so it might be a good chance for him to pick up a nice prize down there.
“I said to Peter that we’ll need to take another horse as well so that’ll probably be Teen Titan, he’s improving at every run over hurdles so he can run both days and be a travel buddy for Jock.
“We’re in the middle of lambing and calving so getting down to Christchurch for 10 days will be a bit of a marathon, but it’s been our goal all the way through with this horse if he kept stepping up so we’re going to make it happen.”
The Wellington meeting provided a strong turn-out in the jumping events, including 30 runners at maiden grade, an important and exciting improvement for the future of the sport in Brosnan’s perspective.
“Hopefully we can find more horses like Jock and continue being competitive in these big races next year, jumps racing is really picking up and we had an amazing day down there on Saturday,” she said.
“Every horse got around and jumped well, so many people commented to us on the quality of the day and fields.
“We’ve got the jockeys now and a couple more coming over, so the atmosphere among the jumping people is great.
“Looking at a horse like Jock, he didn’t win a race on the flat but he’s got the skill and toughness to make a really nice jumper, so there are opportunities for horses like him.”
