Emerging jumper Affluential (NZ) (Zed) remains on track for next month’s Grand National Hurdle, despite skipping Sunday’s blockbuster all-jumps card at Pakenham.
Trainer John Leek Jnr confirmed that Verry Elleegant’s younger brother will run in a 3100-metre flat handicap at Warrnambool on Tuesday instead of Sunday’s Brendan Drechsler Hurdle (3500m), in a bid to avoid a potential weight penalty.
The five-year-old Zed gelding is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, including a dominant win in a Benchmark 120 hurdle at Sandown last start and Leek Jnr is keen to get him into the Grand National Hurdle with the lightest-possible weight.
Affluential has been mixing flat and jumps racing all season and satisfied his trainer in a recent hurdle trial at Pakenham.
“He’s definitely going to Warrnambool next Tuesday and we’re definitely going to the National,” Leek Jnr said.
“The reason for not running him on Sunday is that if he happened to win the Drechsler, it would give him a significant penalty going into the National and I’m very keen to win the National with him, especially for Bob Peters.
“It’s like winning a race before the Melbourne Cup.
“He probably went better in the trial last week than he’s gone since we’ve had him so he’s on track.”
