Sunday’s eagerly anticipated Great Northern meeting at Te Rapa could provide a fitting end to a big week for Matamata trainer Jessica Brosnan.
Brosnan and her husband Peter will saddle Auld Jock and Ima Wonder in the $150,000 Ben & Ryan Foote Racing Great Northern Steeplechase (6500m) on Sunday afternoon – just a few days after New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing announced Brosnan’s appointment to a jumps racing recommendation panel.
The panel was formed after NZTR’s Future of Jumps Racing consultation process received 240 submissions.
“The volume of submissions that we received is testament to the passion of those involved in the racing industry and is further proof of the need for immediate action,” NZTR chief executive Bruce Sharrock said.
“In early August we asked for the industry to have their say, and they delivered with well thought out ideas and responses to support the next stage of our process in this important decision. A recommendation panel has been announced that will be responsible in reviewing the current state and putting forward a recommendation to the NZTR Board in October aligned to a decision-making framework.”
Comprising six industry figures with broad knowledge and experience, the panel will be chaired by NZTR chief operating officer Darin Balcombe. Brosnan has been appointed alongside Mark Chitty, Regan Donnison, Brad Taylor and Tim Mills.
“It’s not something I can say too much about at this stage, but I’m happy to be appointed and it’s good to have representation for the Jumping Association on the panel,” Brosnan said.
In the meantime, Brosnan is looking forward to taking a two-pronged shot at one of New Zealand’s most revered jumps races.
Auld Jock began the winter as a maiden steeplechaser, but shook free of that tag with a 10-length win at Woodville in late May. He went straight up to the top level from there, finishing fourth in the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase (4800m), second in the Wellington Steeplechase (5500m) and second in last month’s Grand National Steeplechase (5600m).
The seven-year-old completed his Great Northern build-up with a hit-out on the flat at Matamata on September 4, finishing a creditable seventh over 2000m.
“Win, lose or draw on Sunday, we’re proud of what he’s done in this campaign,” Brosnan said. “He’s come such a long way, and he’s still only had eight steeplechase starts in his career.
“It was a big trip down to Christchurch, but he’s come through that extremely well. He went quite nicely on the flat the other day, and he’s had a massage today. He’s looking good.
“I think he’ll be fine with whatever the track is like on Sunday. It’s currently a little bit drier (Heavy8) than it was down in Christchurch, but it’s overcast today and they might get quite a bit of rain tomorrow.
“Once you get up over these extreme distances, I think it comes down to a bit of luck more than the conditions.”
Ima Wonder has no shortage of pedigree for this race. She races in the famous brown and red colours of her owner-breeders, Ann and the late Ken Browne, who have won this race on no fewer than 12 occasions. One of those previous wins came from Ima Wonder’s dam, Ima Heroine, in 2011.
Ima Wonder herself produced a bold audition for this race with a dominant victory in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4800m) at Te Rapa on August 24.
“She was great that day, and she’s furnishing into a lovely mare,” Brosnan said. “She’s just been needing those big live hedges and the longer distances.
“I can’t fault her at all, and I think she’s going to relish the step up to 6500m. If the track happened to be a little bit firmer, that wouldn’t be a problem for her either.
“We’re delighted to stick with Kylan Wiles after he won on her last time. He’s a good young jockey coming through the ranks, and it’s great to give people like that an opportunity to ride in these top races.”
Brosnan also expects solid showings from Jakama Krystal in the FCM Steeplechase (3900m) and Teen Titan in the Alsco Uniforms Hurdle (2800m).
“Jakama Krystal was going really well when she dropped her rider the other day,” Brosnan said. “She’s quite a quick jumper, so sometimes it’s just a case of holding on tight to the neck strap and crossing your fingers that you’re still with her on the other side.
“Luckily she didn’t take any harm from that experience at all, so we couldn’t see any reason not to back her up.
“Teen Titan’s going well. He placed on the first day in Christchurch, and then we ran him in the Grand National after that. He would have learned a lot from being amongst those good hurdlers that day, and now hopefully he should be away.”
