Snodroptwinkletoes
Trish Dunell
Victory in a feature Awapuni jumps race has so far eluded Mathew Gillies but the leading Manawatu jumps jockey plans on setting the record straight on Saturday.
The closest Gillies has got to landing either the Awapuni Hurdles or Manawatu Steeples has been third placings, the most recent of those aboard Palemo in the 2014 Manawatu Steeples.
"I've had a couple of placings in the hurdles as well but they have been races that have got away from me," Gillies said.
"But being a Manawatu boy, they are races I've always wanted to win. Hopefully I might be able to get one of them on Saturday."
Gillies, who attended Palmerston North's Awatapu College, looks a good chance of clinching at least one of the features this weekend.
Snodroptwinkletoes is poised to claim the Manawatu ITM Manawatu Steeplechase (4400m) after only narrowly going down to I've Got This in the McGregor Grant Steeples at Ellerslie last start.
"It was a huge effort. He just ran out of petrol the last 100m. He probably just lacked a hard steeplechase leadup run but he's got that this time around," Gillies said.
"With that run under his belt he should be at his peak for Palmy. It will be heavy going again and that will make it a tough test but he should be fit enough now and he's such an honest jumper.
"His main aim is the Northern. He's always thereabouts, knocking on the door, but up till now he's always been the bridesmaid. Last year he took a long time to come up and didn't really fire till the end of the season but this year he's straight into top form so that's an encouraging sign."
A winner of the 2013 Pakuranga Hunt Cup and last year's Wanganui Steeplechase, the Kevin Myers-trained Snodroptwinklestoes has finished fourth and second in the Great Northern Steeplechase in the past two years.
Gillies rides Ngario in the Manawatu ITM Awapuni Hurdles, the Myers-trained Captain Rio gelding chasing his third straight hurdling win.
"He's won a couple of races impressively but he hasn't beaten anything of real note so far. It's a big jump in class but on what he's done in his last two, he has to be some chance," Gillies said.
- NZ Racing Desk
The closest Gillies has got to landing either the Awapuni Hurdles or Manawatu Steeples has been third placings, the most recent of those aboard Palemo in the 2014 Manawatu Steeples.
"I've had a couple of placings in the hurdles as well but they have been races that have got away from me," Gillies said.
"But being a Manawatu boy, they are races I've always wanted to win. Hopefully I might be able to get one of them on Saturday."
Gillies, who attended Palmerston North's Awatapu College, looks a good chance of clinching at least one of the features this weekend.
Snodroptwinkletoes is poised to claim the Manawatu ITM Manawatu Steeplechase (4400m) after only narrowly going down to I've Got This in the McGregor Grant Steeples at Ellerslie last start.
"It was a huge effort. He just ran out of petrol the last 100m. He probably just lacked a hard steeplechase leadup run but he's got that this time around," Gillies said.
"With that run under his belt he should be at his peak for Palmy. It will be heavy going again and that will make it a tough test but he should be fit enough now and he's such an honest jumper.
"His main aim is the Northern. He's always thereabouts, knocking on the door, but up till now he's always been the bridesmaid. Last year he took a long time to come up and didn't really fire till the end of the season but this year he's straight into top form so that's an encouraging sign."
A winner of the 2013 Pakuranga Hunt Cup and last year's Wanganui Steeplechase, the Kevin Myers-trained Snodroptwinklestoes has finished fourth and second in the Great Northern Steeplechase in the past two years.
Gillies rides Ngario in the Manawatu ITM Awapuni Hurdles, the Myers-trained Captain Rio gelding chasing his third straight hurdling win.
"He's won a couple of races impressively but he hasn't beaten anything of real note so far. It's a big jump in class but on what he's done in his last two, he has to be some chance," Gillies said.
- NZ Racing Desk
