Bally Heights
Race Images Palmerston North
Paul Nelson is a little cagey about whether he might possess the firepower to add to his feature jumps record at Hastings this weekend, but he admits his strongest hand is in the Te Whangai Romneys Hawke's Bay Hurdle.
The Hastings trainer has won the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase three times through No Hero in 2003 and 2005 and Just A Swagger in 2007, but just boasts one previous Hawke's Bay Hurdles win, with Ho Down in 2010.
Nelson will produce rising 14-year-old Bally Heights in Saturday's Animal Health Direct Hawke's Bay Steeplechase (4800m) as he attempts to become the first trainer to win the race on more than three occasions, while San Pedro and Ooee give him a strong hand in the Hurdle (3100m).
"We've got two in the hurdle so that would have to give us our better chance," Nelson said.
San Pedro has won three of his seven hurdle starts and finished second in the Waikato Hurdles two starts back before peaking on his run when finishing eighth in the KS Browne Hurdle at Ellerslie last start.
"We had a glitch with him last start, but that track was very sticky and he might not have been 100 per cent," Nelson said.
"We travelled to Cambridge then two hours up to Ellerslie and he probably wasn't as settled as he could have been. This one is closer to home and he should go a bit better."
Ooee is a newcomer to prestige jumps racing but rates a strong chance after clearing maiden hurdle ranks by six lengths at Te Rapa before his runaway 15-length restricted hurdle win at Trentham in testing conditions.
"This is only his fourth hurdle race so we'll find out more with him on Saturday," Nelson said.
"He was impressive at Wellington but we don't know how good the horses are that finished behind him. He did handle the bad ground well though and we weren't sure about that before the race. He's only going to get better with time."
Nelson was hoping track conditions didn't get worse for Bally Heights as he prepared for the Hurdle.
"He's getting pretty old. He's 13 and some of the younger ones might be better than him," Nelson said.
"He has placed over 4800m though and he goes pretty well here [at Hastings]. We had aimed him at this race thinking we'd get a better track because he goes best on better ground.
"He's been racing since he was a two-year-old and we'd love to win a nice one with him - maybe that will be at Wanganui after the National meeting with a claimer on board." - NZ Racing Desk
The Hastings trainer has won the Hawke's Bay Steeplechase three times through No Hero in 2003 and 2005 and Just A Swagger in 2007, but just boasts one previous Hawke's Bay Hurdles win, with Ho Down in 2010.
Nelson will produce rising 14-year-old Bally Heights in Saturday's Animal Health Direct Hawke's Bay Steeplechase (4800m) as he attempts to become the first trainer to win the race on more than three occasions, while San Pedro and Ooee give him a strong hand in the Hurdle (3100m).
"We've got two in the hurdle so that would have to give us our better chance," Nelson said.
San Pedro has won three of his seven hurdle starts and finished second in the Waikato Hurdles two starts back before peaking on his run when finishing eighth in the KS Browne Hurdle at Ellerslie last start.
"We had a glitch with him last start, but that track was very sticky and he might not have been 100 per cent," Nelson said.
"We travelled to Cambridge then two hours up to Ellerslie and he probably wasn't as settled as he could have been. This one is closer to home and he should go a bit better."
Ooee is a newcomer to prestige jumps racing but rates a strong chance after clearing maiden hurdle ranks by six lengths at Te Rapa before his runaway 15-length restricted hurdle win at Trentham in testing conditions.
"This is only his fourth hurdle race so we'll find out more with him on Saturday," Nelson said.
"He was impressive at Wellington but we don't know how good the horses are that finished behind him. He did handle the bad ground well though and we weren't sure about that before the race. He's only going to get better with time."
Nelson was hoping track conditions didn't get worse for Bally Heights as he prepared for the Hurdle.
"He's getting pretty old. He's 13 and some of the younger ones might be better than him," Nelson said.
"He has placed over 4800m though and he goes pretty well here [at Hastings]. We had aimed him at this race thinking we'd get a better track because he goes best on better ground.
"He's been racing since he was a two-year-old and we'd love to win a nice one with him - maybe that will be at Wanganui after the National meeting with a claimer on board." - NZ Racing Desk