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Final fence chaos at Ellerslie on Saturday highlighted the unpredictable nature of jumps racing with late drama in successive events.
The first recipients of a healthy dose of luck were Awapuni trainer Mark Oulaghan and champion jumps jockey Michael Mitchell when they combined for Harvest The Gold’s first success over the big fences in the BGA Marketing Steeplechase.
He was in a race of his own until both Nells Belle and Stagehand crashed at the last obstacle.“He was only going to run third, but that’s the jumping game,” Oulaghan said. “It was his first time over the hill so it was good to win, but it is a bit of a flat performance.”
Next up in the Tractor Centre Open Hurdle and it was the turn of Pukekohe conditioner Rudy Liefting and rider Aaron Kuru to be gifted success when likely winner Boy crashed at the final flight to hand victory to Just Got Home.“Obviously, he likes Ellerslie but we were a bit lucky with that other horse falling,” Liefting said. “I don’t know whether we would have picked him up.”
Just Got Home has covered some miles this winter following an unsuccessful two-start Victorian campaign and a trip to Christchurch.“It was a fair space between the Grand National in Australia to the National here,” Liefting said. “He blew quite hard at Riccarton so I put as much work into him as I could.”
Just Got Home originally had the Great Northern Hurdles on his programme, but some doubt has been cast on his return for the September 5 feature.“I don’t usually go back on a plan, but I might this time – I’m not convinced he can see out those longer, gruelling trips,” Liefting said.
He also enjoyed success at the other North Island venue with Justa Tad successful at the New Plymouth meeting.