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Paul Nelson has good reason to believe he will have a genuine feature jumps prospect on his hands next year in Second Innings.

“You would like to think that he’s going to go on with it after what he’s done so far, we’re pretty hopeful,” the Hastings trainer said.

Since joining his stable, Second Innings has won both of his hurdle starts in the lower grades during the Grand National carnival at Riccarton and also showed himself to be a competitive flat performer.

The eight-year-old won on his home track during the winter, finished runner-up at Trentham in the Parliamentary Handicap and earned black type when third in the Listed Taumarunui Gold Cup.

Second Innings furthered his record at Awapuni on Saturday when he won a Rating 85 event over 2200 metres.

“We’re looking at a hurdle race for him at Te Aroha in a couple of weeks, although that hasn’t been confirmed yet,” Nelson said.

He shares in the ownership of the Yamanin Vital gelding with long-time stable client Gary Sherratt and Cambridge trainer Ben Foote, who prepared Second Innings to win his first two races.

“He was always going to come to us and Ben did a great job with him – it’s always a lot better if they do a bit on the flat first,” Nelson said.

“Ben’s had a lot of horses for Gary as well – he had Just Not Cricket before we got him.”

He won two Great Northern Hurdles and the Grand National Hurdles from Nelson’s stable.